Bebop Spoken There

Dominick "Domo" Branch: ''Most people say drummers can't write, they're just time-keepers only beating on things. But I have a very musical brain.'' (DownBeat February, 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

18288 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 142 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Feb. 14), 42

From This Moment On ...

February

Thu 19: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: George Shearing Jazz Moments.

Fri 20: Alex Clarke w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT! Clarke w. Dean Stockdale, Mick Shoulder, Abbie Finn.
Fri 20: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 20: Squabble @ Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7:00pm. Steve Chambers (organ); Jude Murphy (double bass, vocals); Sid White (drums).
Fri 20: Jive Aces @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:00pm (6:30pm doors).
Fri 20: Alex Clarke w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Clarke w. Dean Stockdale, Mick Shoulder, Abbie Finn.

Sat 21: ???

Sun 22: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 22: Joe Steels Group @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. A Blue Patch album tour.
Sun 22: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Harben Kay Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 23: Joe Steels Group @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. A Blue Patch album tour.
Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 24: Finn-Keeble Group @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00.
Tue 24: Liam Oliver & Shayo Oshodi @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 26: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £6.50.
Thu 26: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00 adv.
Thu 26: Mick Cantwell Band @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Blues.

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

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Jazz Café Jam Session - Sept. 15

Peter Gilligan (pno); John Pope (bs/bs gtr); Paul Wight (dms) + Paul Edis (pno); Nick Gould/Paul Gowland/Stu Finden (ten); Fi Finden (sop/vcl); Jordan Alonzo (alt); Luke Stewart-Smith (bs); Joe Fowler (tmb); Thanos/Tom Lapworth (gtr); Marek Podstawek/Matt MacKellar/Rob Bates (dms).
(Review by Lance).
As the above line-up (apologies if I've missed anyone) indicates this was quite a night! The room was crowded, the joint was jumpin'. Axemen were jostling to get up and blow, the bar was doing good business and there were many new faces in the audience and a few different languages.
At one stage the playing area was a train crash as the drum set up was changed from southpaw to orthodox, amps were plugged and unplugged, microphones sought after, keys decided upon - the usual jam session activities.
As per, the evening began with the house trio of Gilligan, Pope and Wight setting the pace with Emily; Speak Low and Time Remembered.
Nick Gould dropped down from Edinburgh (as one does), Paul Edis flew in from Chester-le-St (or wherever), the pair, along with Pope and Wight, met On Green Dolphin Street. Love For Sale - an appropriate song for those of us who remember Pink Lane from years ago - and My Foolish Heart sounded good.
The Findens, along with Tom Lapworth on guitar and a stickman from Poland - Marek Podstawek - played what may have been Tenor Madness but probably wasn't.
Things started to get confused around about now as musos came and went. Paul Gowland took over on tenor, Jordan Alonzo added alto, Joe Fowler blew his new synthetic trombone - the sound was anything but synthetic - Matt and Rob on kit and Thanos, guitar, along with Stewart-Smith, bass, combined to keep things afloat.
I, unfortunately, couldn't stay until the end as I'm sure there were others who may well have contributed. As I left I noticed "Blue Hat" with tenor case but whether "Blue Hat" blew I didn't have time to find out. The Central Metro station now closes at 8pm Sunday to Thursday (until June next year!) so it meant a trip across town to the castle and the good old number 27.
Photos.
Lance.

5 comments :

Liz said...

three cheers for the 27!

Patti D. said...

Great review, Lance - and Mr Blue Hat didn't get the chance with his tenor ....... the lights flickered for the end of the session shortly after you left. And you're right - the joint was jumping ......

Anonymous said...

*sought after

Lance said...

There's always one! Thank you Ms Anonymous-Pernickety for pointing out that grave error of mine. I will correct it immediately!

Liz said...

it wasn't me!!

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