Bebop Spoken There

Ron Carter quoting Sonny Rollins: ''What we call jazz - that's keeping the world in equilibrium. I don't care what kind of music you like out here today. It all comes from jazz.'' (DownBeat August, 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

18799 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 663 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 12) 32.

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

August

Thu 13: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 13: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 13: 58 Jazz Collective @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Stranton, Hartlepool. 8:00pm. Free. CANCELLED! Back on Aug. 27.
Thu 13: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Fri 14: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 14: John Settle Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. John Settle (vibes); Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 14: Bold Big Band @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £8.00 + bf.

Sat 15: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 15: Jake Leg Jug Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £16.26.

Sun 16: Vintage Explosion @ Cliffe Park, Roker, Sunderland SR6 8DB. 5:00-10:30pm. £44.00 (inc. bf).

Mon 17: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thursday, September 24, 2015

Yoko Miura/Charlie Collins + Zoe Gilby @ The Lit & Phil Newcastle - September 23

Yoko Miuro (pno); Charlie Collins (perc); Zoe Gilby (voice etc.)
(Review by Steve H/Photos courtesy of Ken Drew.)
This was Japanese pianist Yoko Miura’s first appearance on Tyneside and on Wednesday night at the Lit & Phil - in a JNE concert - she teamed up with percussionist Charlie Collins for a fine set of improvised free jazz. Miura’s playing is of the minimalist variety verging from the free to the classical in nature. At times single notes would punctuate the silence dramatically. Miura also employed a melodica to add additional nuances to her playing.
Charlie Collins provides not only a great percussive performance but a great visual one too. The amount of hardware in his kit would put my local B&Q store to shame. All sorts of contraptions and gizmos are employed to produce countless weird and wonderful sounds. The whole performance was one of fascinating waves and textures amplified by the juxtapositions of percussion and piano.
Earlier in the evening, Zoe Gilby performed, for the second time. her Watching Sideways project (the first being at The Bridge last March)  This is a solo work of voice combined with electronics to give a multi layered audio soundscape full of  whoops and loops. The audience were so inspired by the performance that it gave way to an impromptu Q & A as to where the project could be taken next. The consensus by the end suggested it be incorporated in some way with the visual arts.
At the conclusion of the evening Yoko, Charlie and Zoe joined forces to perform a unique piece of improvised piano, percussion and voice - fascinating stuff indeed.
Steve H.

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