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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

17923 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 244 of them this year alone and, so far, 91 this month (March 31).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Tue 01: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Mark Robertson.
Tue 01: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, North St., Ferryhill DL17 8HX. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 02: Lauren Bush: The Jazz Singer’s Toolkit @ The Pele, Corbridge. 1:00-4:00pm. Vocalist Lauren Bush with pianist Jamil Sheriff presents a jazz singing workshop. £40.00. (inc. evening concert, see below). Registration required for workshop: www.laurenbushjazz.com. All ability levels welcome.
Wed 02: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 02: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 2:30-4:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Wed 02: Lauren Bush & Jamil Sheriff @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00-9:00pm. £10.00. Concert performance. Tickets: www.laurenbushjazz.com.
Wed 02: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 02: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE! See website for updates: www.theglobenewcastle.bar.

Thu 03: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Women in Jazz.
Thu 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 03: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. A Tees Hot Club promotion. First Thursday in the month.

Fri 04: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 04: Ruth Lambert Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Fri 04: Tom McGuire & the Brassholes @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00.
Fri 04: Nicolas Meier’s Infinity Group + Spirit of Jeff Beck @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm.

Sat 05: Tenement Jazz Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 05: Sleep Suppressor @ Head of Steam, Newcastle. 5:30-6:00pm.
Sat 05: King Bees @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Raymond MacDonald & Jer Reid @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 6:00-9:30pm. £7.72., £1.00. (minimum donation). MacDonald & Reid + Objections + Yotuns.
Sat 05: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Kamasi Washington @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £33.00.
Sat 05: Vermont Big Band @ The Seahorse, Whitley Bay. 7:30pm. Tickets: £10.00 (from the venue).
Sat 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 06: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 06: Learning & Participation Showcase @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm (1:00pm doors). Free. Featuring participants from Play More Jazz! Play More Folk! Blue Jam Singers & more.
Sun 06: Joe Steels Group @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Ferg Kilsby, Joe Steels, Ben Lawrence, Paul Susans, John Hirst.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Hooch, Quayside, Newcastle. 6:00pm.
Sun 06: Leeway @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 07: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

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, May 22, 2015

Triptych @ The Lit & Phil. May 22

Paul Edis (piano & clarinet), Paul Susans (double bass) & Rob Walker (drums)
(Review by Russell)
Triptych are: left panel Paul Edis, centre panel Paul Susans, right panel Rob Walker. The canvases prepared by Edis (composer of four of the eight numbers performed), form kept in perspective by Susans, watercolour fills applied by Walker. Classical English pastoral, broad-brush swing time sections, beer-fuelled, early morning groove.
The Lit & Phil’s monthly Friday lunchtime sessions continue to draw the crowds. Those in the know knew this was sure to be a good one and it was. The audience listened in the knowledge that the performance was being recorded. How High the Moon began the one hour set. A jazz piano trio master class – as simple as that. Edis composed Montage in a state of anguish/delirium/despair during a mind-numbing stint in the orchestra pit at one of the region’s many pantomimes (think of the money, Paul!). Composed in the quest for creativity, it largely succeeded. Oh, yes it did! Edis’ Murmurations (ask an ornithologist) threatened to lay claim to the tune of the afternoon; piano intro hinting at Misterioso, the bass line manfully kept on the straight and narrow by the bar stool-perched Susans, Rob Walker’s drumming razor-sharp in response to every subtle compositional shift.
Paul Susans’ Beer For Breakfast hit a groove and kept right on. The Pilgrim Street Set’s monthly residency at Hoochie Coochie (the Triptych boys are involved) could appeal to those who got this one. Dark Ages went back in time to …the Dark Ages. Edis switched to clarinet, partially closing the triptych panels, slowly sketching a quasi, ancient Indian tune (Walker’s hand drumming exemplary). Edis’ panto blues found him reading a book about JS Bach. It proved to be the creative spur resulting in Cerebral. Cerebral? Perhaps. Great playing, for sure. Bach must have been an outstanding improviser. Just imagine if, one day, the man walked in to the Lit & Phil (or Jazz Café) asking to sit in! As Triptych set about tackling the piece Susan’s peered at the score and said (in jest): What do these things here mean?
To close the afternoon’s entertainment Edis announced Percy Grainger’s English Country Garden. Previously played as a solo piano piece, this trio version worked well. Township jazz, or suggestions of it, could be heard. Perhaps Edis could arrange the tune for a sextet (horns) feature. Next month’s session features the Mo Scott Trio. Ms Scott – Empress of the Blues – will be in the company of Paul Edis and bassist Neil Harland. Expect jazz and blues. Expect it to be good, very good. The date for your diary: Friday 19 June (1:00pm).      
Russell.              

1 comment :

Lance said...

Russell/Paul, correct me if I'm wrong but I've always thought Percy Grainger's adaptation was titled simply "Country Gardens". It was only when words were added and recordings made by Jimmie Rodgers, Rolf Harris and others that it became "In an English Country Garden". So, unless Paul was singing, perhaps the original title should have been retained.

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