Bebop Spoken There

Gary Bartz: ''Music is nature's gift to man. It's the only religion. We're living in a terrible era, but what a beautiful thing music is. Look how it brings us together like religion is supposed to; and with no language barriers.'' (Jazzwise September, 2026)

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

18878 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 742 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Sept. 4.) 21.

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

From This Moment On

September.

Wed 09: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: Jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 09: 58 Jazz Collective @ Hartlepool Cricket Club. 7:30pm. £7.00.
Wed 09: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 09: NONUNONU @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE. Excellent trio.

Thu 10: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 10: Jacenaite All Crew @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 10: Emma Rawicz INKYRA @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £22.30. Sage Two. Line-up: Emma Rawicz (sax); Scottie Thompson (piano, keyboards, synth); David Preston (guitar); Kevin Glasgow (bass guitar); Jack Thomas (drums).

Fri 11: Esther Bennett @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £10.00. Esther Bennett (vocals); Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass).
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: Ray Stubbs’ R&B All Stars @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £14.09 (inc. bf).

Sat 12: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 12: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £16.26 (inc. bf).

Sun 13: 58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00-3:00pm. Free.
Sun 13: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 13: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 13: King Bees @ Shape Patisserie, Darlington. 3:00pm. Free. Duo (Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor). A Rhythm & Blues Fringe event. Blues excellence.
Sun 13: Alligator Gumbo @ The Cluny. 5:00pm. £17.15.; £11.43; £5.72.
Sun 13: Eternal Triangle + Andy Champion @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. JNE.

Mon 14: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 15: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Ben Lawrence, Paul Grainger, Bailey Rudd.

Wednesday, May 06, 2015

Jazz Café Jam Session - May 5.

Peter Gilligan (pno); Paul Grainger (bs); Paul Wight (dms); Bradley Johnston (gtr) + Fi Finden (sop/vcl); Paul Gowland (alt); Stu Finden, Alexis Cairns (ten); Joe Fowler (tmb/vcl); David Gray, Priyanka (tmb); Joel Brown, Francesco Falconi (pno); Andrew Porritt, "Father" Brown, Luke Stuart-Smith (bs); Thanos (gtr); Dimi, Rob Bates, Eric Stutt (dms).
(Review by Lance.)

Back in the Crombie era, Keith's proudest boast was of the cosmopolitan nature of the clientele at the Jazz Café. Well, if the late KC is looking up from down there, he couldn't have wished for a greater international flavour than last night. Dimi from Bulgaria on drums, Italian Francesco on piano, Thanos from Greece on guitar and Pryanka, London born of Indian parents, blowing up a storm on trombone.
Pryanka slugged it out with Big Joe and David Gray on Watermelon Man and Work Song - those guys knew they'd been in a fight! Welcome to Newcastle Pryanka.
This was just one of the many high spots of another classic jam at the Caff. Joel, once again, delighted on piano - There is no Greater Love a nice gentle groove with Eric Stutt on drums, Thanos the Greek on guitar and Andrew Porritt on bass. Eric is older than the other three combined yet the combination gelled going to prove that, in jazz, age or nationality is immaterial if you can do the job - these guys can!
Dimi, was on drums for Doxy and Bye Bye Blackbird with Fiona, Stu and Paul Gowland out front blowing saxes. Bulgaria can be proud of its ambassador for jazz.
Just too much happening to mention everyone - needless to say the house quartet were up for it with I Fall in Love Too Easily outstanding. Paul Gowland's take on My One and Only Love reminded me just how good a tune this is and Paul did it no harm at all - a great version. Big Joe singing All of Me, Alexis on tenor for All the Things You Are and blowing Softly as in a Morning Sunrise with the aforementioned Joe. The highs were many the lows almost nonexistent.
Lance.

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