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Bebop Spoken There

Steve Coleman: ''If you don't keep learning, your mind slows down. Use it or lose it''. (DownBeat, January 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

17719 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 39 of them this year alone and, so far, 39 this month (Jan. 15).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Wed 15: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 15: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 15: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 15: Hot Club of Heaton @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘third Wednesday in the month’ session. TBC.

Thu 16: Pete Tanton & the Cuban Heels @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 17: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 17: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 17: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 17: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 17: Joe Steels Trio w. Graham Hardy @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £10.00. (inc. a welcome drink & table reservation). Book at: www.drinks@thepele.co.uk. A ‘Jazz at the Pele’ promotion.
Fri 17: Russ Morgan Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 17: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 18: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 18: Alter Ego + Jamie Toms/Graham Don Duo @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 18: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Repas 7 by Night, West St., Berwick TD15 1AS. 7:30pm. Free. Album launch gig.
Sat 18: Delta Prophets @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 19: Glenn Miller Orchestra UK @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 3:00pm. ‘Glenn Miller & the Rat Pack Era’.
Sun 19: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 19: Spilt Milk @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 5:15-7:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 19: Tenement Jazz Band @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 19: Nick Ross Orchestra @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm.
Sun 19: Freight Train (Tobin/Noble/Clarvis) @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 20: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 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

Thursday, July 16, 2015

Ravi Coltrane Quartet @ Sage Gateshead - July 15

Ravi Coltrane (ten/sop/sopranino); Adam Rodgers (gtr); Scott Colley (bs); Nate Smith (dms).
(Review by Lance/Photos courtesy of HarrisonAPhotography.)
The quartet hadn't had a good day. Flight cancellations and lost luggage meant them arriving from mainland Europe with barely time to eat let alone perform which, I suppose, puts the failure of my Quaylink bus to turn up at Gateshead Interchange into perspective.
These trials and tribulations didn't show. Coltrane greeted the near three tier full Hall Two audience with, "Aa ye aal reet?" - Clearly a multi-linguist.
His first language, however, is undoubtedly jazz. Having heard his dad at Newcastle City Hall some 50 years ago - that concert wasn't one of My Favourite Things - I feared the sins of the father may be replicated perhaps even multiplied! I couldn't have been further from the truth! This was contemporary, make no mistake about it, but it was also very accessible. No pet shop owners were dialling 999!
The pieces were extended, allowing the soloists to stretch out. Rodgers didn't need an assortment of pedals and effects to make his point - just an amp and a pick. Colley was pure theatre on bass, striking poses as he played and as adept with the bow as he was with the fingers. On drums, Smith was an absolute powerhouse. Thundering like ten Elvin Joneses, then moving into a soft, subtle mallet mode.
Ravi? Superb! Tenor, soprano and the rarely heard sopranino sax. The fast boppy number that closed the first set was played on the latter, the second smallest of the saxophone family (the smallest is the sopranissimo which is so small you need powerful lenses to see it and only dogs can hear it), I would guess that every saxophone player in the audience will now have sopranino sax on his Christmas list!
The material consisted of compositions by Ornette Coleman, Billy Strayhorn (Lush Life), Charlie Haden (a gorgeous version of First Song - a piece the late bassist wrote for his wife) plus originals by Coltrane [Ravi], Rodgers and Colley.
The standing ovation delivered at the end was the very least they deserved. If it had been left to me they'd have been given the Freedom of the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead.
More photos.
Lance.

1 comment :

David Keighley (on F/b) said...

STELLAR gig, They were awesome

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