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Bebop Spoken There

Kurt Elling: ''There's something to learn from every musician you play with''. (DownBeat, December 2024).

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

17630 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 904 of them this year alone and, so far, 49 this month (Dec. 20).

From This Moment On ...

December

Thu 26: The Boneshakers @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. The 17th annual Boneshakers’ Shindig.

Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free. Business as usual!.
Fri 27: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 27: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sat 28: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 11:30am. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 28: Fri 20: Castillo Nuevo @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 28: Jude Murphy, Rich Herdman & Giles Strong @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 28: Ray Stubbs R & B All-Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Stepney Bank, Newcastle. 9:00pm. Free.

Sun 29: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 29: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 30: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Wheatsheaf, Benton Sq., Whitley Road, Palmersville NE12 9SU. Tel: 0191 266 8137. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 30: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.

Tue 31: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 12 noon-2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Tue 31: Lapwing Trio @ Wallington (National Trust), Cambo, Morpeth NE61 4AR. 12 noon & 2:00pm. Admission to site £19.00.
Tue 31: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Tue 31: Archie Brown & Friends @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00-8:00pm. Free.

January 2025

Wed 01: ???

Thu 02: ???

Fri 03: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 03: John Gregory @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar.

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

Thursday, April 02, 2015

Take it to the Bridge @ The Chillingham. April 1

Dave Weisser (trumpet & vocals), Ray Johnson (trumpet & flugelhorn), Roy Stephenson (guitar), Tom Lapworth (guitar), Fardin Esfandiari (guitar), Steve Whitfield (keyboards & vocals), Barrie Ascroft (bass) & Norman Redhead (drums) + second set Don Forbes (trumpet)
(Review by Russell)
The Chilli was never better named. A freezing cold night with the upstairs room heating system broken. The heating engineer wouldn’t come out until the next day – perhaps the cold weather was a deterrent! To make matters worse an air vent steadfastly remained in an open position. Curtains drawn, winter coats on, Dave Weisser and co started on time.
Two full sets. Stolen Moments (Steve Whitfield solo), Line for Lyons (Whitfield scatting, a Barrie Ascroft bass solo with excellent comping from guitarist Tom Lapworth). Fardin Esfandiari (guitar) said he’d been in the woodshed. He played Ladybird. He did just fine as Ray Johnson weighed in with a good trumpet solo and drummer Norman Redhead did the necessary with brushes in hand. Esfandiari stayed on to play Cantaloupe Island, lead by Ray Johnson’s assured trumpet.
Blues March heard Whitfield in Jimmy McGriff mode, Don Forbes (trumpet) contributed and Lapworth laid down a great solo. The weekly Chilli comedy interlude is worth the £1 admission. Veteran piano man Barrie Ascroft spent the afternoon writing out a guitar part for Green Bossa (as you do). Lapworth decided to count it in: A one, two, a one.. Ascroft: How do you know the tempo? Johnson: No authority! They played it. Lapworth shone as he read the part looking over bassist Ascroft’s shoulder (Ascroft’s afternoon labours were for nought as the guitar part couldn’t be found!). A further comic escapade heard Ascroft the Irascible declare: It [the tune] wasn’t fine at all. It was crap!
Esfandiari returned to play The Preacher. Johnson lead, the ‘After You Claude’ guitarists FE and Roy Stephenson were reluctant to follow, so it was down to Don Forbes (trumpet) to grab a solo and maintain momentum. Workshop leader Dave Weisser kept an eye on things, dipping in and out throughout the evening. A bold Love for Sale settled down with a Johnson flugelhorn solo abetted by Redhead’s ‘just so’ brushes. Time was getting on – a Weisser vocal on On Green Dolphin Street wrapped things up and it was time to head out onto the freezing street called Chillingham Road. Another good night at the (freezing) Chilli.       
Russell.      

2 comments :

OxenOrb said...

Great write up

Ray Johnson said...

Thanks Russell. Comedy plays a part in a good jam.

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