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Bebop Spoken There

Sullivan Fortner: ''I always judge it by the bass player: If the bass player is happy, it's going to be a good night". (DownBeat, February 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

17777 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 98 of them this year alone and, so far, 23 this month (Feb.8).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Tue 11: Steve Summers Quintet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm.

Wed 12: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Jam session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 12: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 13: Student Performances @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 4:00pm. Free. Inc. Olly Styles (tenor sax).
Thu 13: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: Artist Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Hannabiell & Midnight Blue.
Thu 13: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 14: John Rowland Trio @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 12:30-1:30pm. £5.00. at the door. New second Friday in the month concert series.
Fri 14: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 14: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 14: Archipelago + Anna Tempest @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £8.00.
Fri 14: Paul Jones & Dave Kelly @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. Rhythm & blues.
Fri 14: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Fri 14: Jazz Sabbath @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 15: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 15: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 15: Elkie Brooks @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. ‘The Long Farewell Tour’.
Sat 15: Milne Glendinning Band @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 16: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 16: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: BBC Introducing NE X MOBO Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Jambone, Knats, Rivkala, SwanNek.
Sun 16: The Shayo Experience @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 16: Gerry Richardson Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 16: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 17: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 17: Russ Morgan Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

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

Sunday, May 24, 2015

Brand & Sanders + Faye MacCalman 4tet @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre – May 21.

(Review/photos courtesy of Ken Drew)
A two-Set “Women Make Music” JNE presentation was received with much anticipation heralding, as it did, the return of Sarah Gail Brand - resulting in a decent sized audience.
Sarah Gail Brand (trombone); Mark Sanders (drums). 
These guys need no introduction – although Sarah’s rare visits to Tyneside make this a near possibility - unless your memory takes you back to 2007.  It was noted that her longest established and most empathetic musical relationship is with drummer Mark Sanders, although, sadly for us, they’ve never appeared on Tyneside as a duo until now.  However, Mark performed at the GIJF in 2014 and, prior to that, with Paul Dunmall’s group at Cluny2.  
But it was straight in at the deep end for Sarah, leading with a multitude of rhythms, sounds, gasps and  much physical excursion,  with Mark following her every move through what appeared to be putting the trombone (and her own technique) through its paces.  She combines most enthusiastically an abstract approach to melody along with a tone that varies between great purity and earthiness, but always sonorous.  The duo seemed perfectly aligned and always in-sync whilst each giving the other space to express and explore.  The array of sounds from Sarah was expertly matched by Mark’s equally large array of ‘devices’ which complement the drum kit at which he sat (well, most of the time).  Three separate pieces came from the duo - each full of energy and intrigue, always twisting and turning yet flowing seamlessly. A veritable Masterclass disguised as yet another Free Improv gig in Newcastle.   But the musicianship and the audience’s overall delight gave that one away!  
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 Faye MacCalman (sax); Pete Curry (piano); John Pope (bass); Christian Alderson (drums)
The first set was also eagerly anticipated giving exposure to a new local ‘4tet’. Whilst Faye had performed recently on the same stage (with bass and electronics) prior to Linda Sharrock’s excellent performance earlier this month, this was their first outing as a unit – but you really would not have guessed that.  Nor would you guess (why would you?) that Faye is about to finish her degree and then take that big step into full time music.   The piece they performed worked well throughout.  Mostly led by Faye’s eminently confident sax playing, and occasionally driven by the bass – sometimes rhythmically and other times by loud interjections from one of his strings.  The keys were solid in their support, and the drums were at least that, if not also a pre-cursor to what would follow in the next set.  Overall, I couldn’t say what the style was – apart from nicely (and sometimes surprisingly) varied and truly Improv from start to finish.   Nice one guys – well done!
Ken Drew.

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