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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, April 2025).

The Things They Say!

This is a good opportunity to say thanks to BSH for their support of the jazz scene in the North East (and beyond) - it's no exaggeration to say that if it wasn't for them many, many fine musicians, bands and projects across a huge cross section of jazz wouldn't be getting reviewed at all, because we're in the "desolate"(!) North. (M & SSBB on F/book 23/12/24)

Postage

17873 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 194 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (March 14).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Sun 23: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 23: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Mississippi MacDonald @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. Blues.
Sun 23: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: The Great Deceivers @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Tom Atkinson & co play King Crimson (1969-1974). Atkinson (guitar); Josh Bentham (alto sax); Stu Dawson (bass); Jeff Armstrong (drums).

Mon 24: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 25: Fred Wesley & the New JB’s @ The Cluny. 7:30pm (doors). £27.50. POSTPONED! New date Wednesday 26 November.

Wed 26: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 26: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 26: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 27: Hannabiell & Midnight Blue @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 27: Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Superb blues duo.

Fri 28: Giles Strong Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00 SOLD OUT!.
Fri 28: Spilt Milk @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £8.00.
Fri 28: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Old Cinema Laundrette, Durham. 7:45pm.
Fri 28: Sue Ferris Quintet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £10.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 28: Mostly Moonlight @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Fri 28: Juliana Day & Manon McCoy @ Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00.; £10.00. advance. JNE.

Sat 29: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 29: Doris Day Story @ Phoenix Theatre, Blyth. 7:30pm.
Sat 29: Squabble! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Reviewers wanted

Whilst BSH attempts to cover as many gigs, festivals and albums as possible, to make the site even more comprehensive we need more 'boots on the ground' to cover the albums seeking review - a large percentage of which never get heard - report on gigs or just to air your views on anything jazz related. Interested? then please get in touch. Contact details are on the blog. Look forward to hearing from you. Lance

Friday, March 13, 2015

Paul Edis Trio @ The Cherry Tree, March 11

 Paul Edis (piano); Roly Veitch (guitar/vocal); Neil Harland (double bass).
(Review by JC).
As BSH had intriguingly advertised the Wednesday night gig at the Cherry Tree as a 'good King Cole style trio' that seemed another good reason (along with the food) to go. Maybe Arthur Scargill had taken up the ukulele in his later years or Andy Cole had become a whizz on the baritone sax since he hung up his boots, but on arrival it was clear that neither was the case. The quietly distinguished looking guitarist didn't look the type to make rabble-rousing speeches and the piano player, with all due respect, didn't seem like a 20-goals a season striker (although the bass player might have made an elegant, but tough-tackling centre half).
In fact, the band turned out to be another excellent manifestation of the ever-morphing Paul Edis Trio. And what a nice trio it was, with Roly Veitch on guitar and Neil Harland on double bass.
Veitch quickly demonstrated his singing ability on Date With an Angel with nice solos from the trio, followed by Beautiful Love on which Edis revealed his considerable instrumental versatility with some fine soloing on flute. A well-crafted vocal on Long Ago and Far Away led into Darn that Dream and by now the trio were into a sweet musical groove, swopping solos and leaving spaces for each other to fill. The audience were also fully engaged.
Paper Moon was a standout number with Veitch treating the lyrics with the care and lightness such delicate material requires and supplementing them with equally subtle guitar playing. To my pleasant surprise Edis turned the trio into a quartet for this number, playing both piano and excellent clarinet (though not quite simultaneously) on this song, to the great appreciation of my friends. A very nice version of Nature Boy ended the first set.
The second set continued the high standard of the first with more fine vocals from Veitch and excellent interplay between guitar and piano on such numbers as East of the Sun, The Touch of Your Lips, Our Love is Here to Stay and Thank Your Lucky Stars. Harland on double bass provided solid rhythmic underpinning to the music and contributed a number of classy solos as well. An audience request led to Edis playing a track from his solo album, Bring Me Sunshine, and hearing the tune again revealed not only its infectious good humour but also how finely crafted this version is (the possibility of second solo album is rumoured, apparently). After this tune Roly Veitch generously and rightly commented on the fact that there were a number of excellent young jazz musicians in the region of whom Edis was undoubtedly one. Although he did exclude Neil Harland from this group, not because of his musical ability, but because he was an 'old timer'. Harland smiled benignly.
The expertise of all three was fully demonstrated in the next song, Flamingo and this was followed by My Romance. During the break our table had wondered which instrument Edis would next surprise us with and I suggested it might be the instrument du jour in Newcastle at the moment and he would pull the ubiquitous Theremin from his back pocket and play something like a stride version of Good Vibrations. As it happened it was the clarinet again on this number and very good it was too. Then the Trio rounded off the evening with It Could Happen to You.
Just to say that the food was like the music: always interesting, sometimes beautifully understated but taken to an extra level with delicate touches of technical virtuosity. A perfect combination.
JC

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