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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

17945 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 266 of them this year alone and, so far, 22 this month (April 8).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Wed 09: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 09: Tannery jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm.
Wed 09: Anatole Muster Trio @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £17.50., £12.50. concs.
Wed 09: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED?

Thu 10: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.CANCELLED!
Thu 10: Magpies of Swing @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £7.00. A Globe fundraiser (all proceeds to the venue).
Thu 10: Exhaust: Camila Nebbia/Kit Downes/Andrew Lisle @ Jesmond URC, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:30pm doors). £13.20., £11.00. JNE.
Thu 10: Jeremy McMurray & the Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Feat. guests Ray Dales & Jackie Summers.

Fri 11: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 11: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 11: John Rowland Trio: The Music of Ben Webster @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Rowland (tenor sax); Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass).
Fri 11: Imelda May @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 11: Shunyata Improvisation Group @ Cullercoats Watch House. 7:30-9:00pm. Free (donations).

Sat 12: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 12: Rob Heron & the Tea Pad Orchestra + House of the Black Gardenia + King Bees @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 6:30pm (doors). £18.00.
Sat 12: Bright Street Big Band @ Washington Arts Centre. 6:30pm. £12.00. Event includes swing dance taster session, DJ dance session. Bright Street Big Band on stage 7:30-8:15pm & 8:45-9:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Sat 12: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 12: Imelda May @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £42.20. SOLD OUT!
Sat 12: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 13: Daniel John Martin with Swing Manouche @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 13: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 13: Hejira: A Celebration of Joni Mitchell @ Wylam Brewery, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £22.50.
Sun 13: Wilkinson/Edwards/Noble + Chojnacki @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £13.20., £11.00. JNE.

Mon 14: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 14: Zoë Gilby Quintet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 15: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

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 09, 2015

The Dave Weisser Orchestra @ The Chilli. April 8

Dave Weisser (trumpet & vocals), Ray Johnson (trumpet & flugelhorn), Don Forbes (trumpet), Dougie Fielder (tenor saxophone), Rachel Richman (alto saxophone), Tom Lapworth (guitar), Steve Whitfield (keyboards), Barrie Ascroft (bass) & Norman Redhead (drums) + second set Ian Forbes (drums) & Gerry Vega (guitar)
(Review by Russell).
Take it to the Bridge at the Chilli has its nights and this was one of them. Orchestral proportions on the stand, Dave Weisser happily enquired time and again: Okay guys, what’s next? knowing that the guys in the band would come up with something good. Last week’s arctic conditions a distant memory as Heaton’s number one real ale pub basked in late evening spring sunshine, spirits were high and some – no names Peter - were high on spirits.
Antonio Carlos Jobim, Gigi Gryce, Stanley Turrentine – as composers they offered a wide spectrum of material and the orchestra’s soloists stepped up to the mark with no little relish. Ray Johnson (trumpet) hit the ground running, others followed his lead in making positive statements. A Dave Weisser vocal intro on Without a Song faced two interruptions from his band mates as workshop democracy discussed tempo and the doubling of bars. Agreement reached, DW sang and played strong trumpet. A nonet formed with the arrival of Don Forbes and Rachel Richman. Jive Samba prospered as Johnson and Forbes (trumpets) upped the ante, the rhythm section responded and the horn-lead ensemble flourished.
Frank Foster’s Simone opened the second set and introduced newcomer Gerry Vega. Forbes D soloed, then Johnson on flugelhorn, altoist Rachel Richman and tenor man Dougie Fielder. Forbes D turned round to guitarist Vega, nodded – Your turn! The new boy gave it a shot, winging it as he went. No matter, the Dave Weisser workshop thrives on moments like this. GV is on board! He’ll be back. 
Wayne Shorter’s One by One vied with one or two other tunes for ‘highlight of the night’. Fabulous trumpet from Don Forbes, equally fabulous piano from Steve Whitfield and Vega hung in there. Ian Forbes, a marvel of modern jazz, did the business, then upped and left. 
The redoubtable Norman Redhead resumed engine room duties alongside the immaculate bass playing of Barrie Ascroft. I Fall in Love Too Easily (a GAS book gem) heard mellifluous flugel from Johnson, muted Weisser trumpet and a considered solo from Richman. Limehouse Blues was to be the set closer. Was…the parts went astray. Blue Monk suggested Richman, the nonet settled for Straight No Chaser. A raft of solos, guitarist Tom Lapworth’s the pick of them. Thanks to Peter for his frequent interjections (a line or two from a song, vocal encouragement for the soloists) adding to the evening’s entertainment.              
Russell.

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