Total Pageviews

Bebop Spoken There

Kurt Elling: ''There's something to learn from every musician you play with''. (DownBeat, December 2024).

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

17655 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 929 of them this year alone and, so far, 74 this month (Dec. 31).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Fri 03: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 03: Jason Isaacs @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 03: John Gregory @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar.

Sat 04: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Square, Middlesbrough. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 04: Rivkala @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £5.00. Xmas party (rescheduled from early December).

Sun 05: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 05: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: Salty Dog @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Americana, jazz & blues.
Sun 05: Papa G’s Troves @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free (donations).

Mon 06: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 07: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, North St., Ferryhill DL17 8HX. 7:00pm. Free.

Wed 08: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 08: The Tannery Jam Session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Wed 08: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 08: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Thu 09: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: John H Hammond.
Thu 09: FILM: Soundtrack to a Coup D’Etat @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. 2:35pm. Documentary (dir. Johan Grimonprez) ‘about jazz, (de)colonial history and activism featuring Louis Armstrong, Nina Simone and Dizzy Gillespie’.
Thu 09: Happy Tuesdays @ Ye Olde Cross, Ryton. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 09: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. Ragtime piano. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

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, September 11, 2015

Preview: The Strictly Smokin’ Big Band featuring Anthony Strong Sunday - September 20 @ Hoochie Coochie.

Michael Lamb’s Strictly Smokin’ Big Band are one of the most highly regarded big band outfits in the UK. Boasting a selection of the most talented jazz musicians in the northeast who skilfully perform everything from classic swing to contemporary compositions at venues nationwide. Their most recent live collaboration - this time with London based vocalist Anthony Strong - is a perfect match to compliment his most recent big band based album “On a Clear Day”.
With his sharply tailored suit and easy charm, singer-pianist Anthony Strong seems to happily fill the role of ‘The English Gentleman’ often thrust upon him. His swaggering vocals and swinging piano style are matched by an energy that have entertained audiences at his live shows around the world. One thing is sure: underneath the crowd-winning stage show, there is a seriously talented musician.
Strong himself pens the arrangements and orchestrations, including the full big band scores to be performed at this gig. Since signing to iconic French label Naïve Records in 2013, he has been hailed by UK newspaper Metro as "a major new talent,” featured on the front page of French daily national newspaper Le Figaro and performed live on national TV in Germany, Poland, Turkey & Portugal. His last album, Stepping Out, reached #1 on the US iTunes Jazz Charts and saw the radio giant NPR feature him in a special 60- minute feature programme from Hollywood.
Strong’s new album, On a Clear Day, is a statement of intent to continue doing what he does best. The repertoire is unashamedly ‘old school’ - from jazz standards and classics, through to early Stevie Wonder and Motown. There is nothing ‘old’ about the treatment of them though. The songs capture the fresh, positive and feel-good energy of his audience-winning tours.
Strictly Smokin’ perform a regular quarterly residency at renowned Newcastle jazz, funk and soul venue, Hoochie Coochie. The club that holds over 200 punters ensures a real ‘up close and personal’ experience with its artists (Courtney Pine; Brand New Heavies; Gregory Porter; Incognito; and Chaka Khan to name but a few have all visited). With a full 19 piece big band playing with one of the UK’s foremost up and coming jazz vocalists – this is a gig not to be missed. 
at

No comments :

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments ( Atom )

Blog Archive