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

18818 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 682 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 20) 51.

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

Tue 25: Michael Young Trio @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED!

Wed 26: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 26: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 26: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 27: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 27: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 27: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Thu 27: 58 Jazz Collective @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Stranton, Hartlepool. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 27: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00.

Fri 28: Graham Hardy Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 28: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 28: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 28: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.

Sat 29: Brian Jackson @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 8:30pm (doors). £32.00.

Sun 30: Musicians Unlimited @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: Tango Jazz Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 31: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Tetra @ Sage Gateshead - Oct. 26

Julian Argülles (ten/sop); Kit Downes (pno); Sam Lasserman (bs); James Maddren (dms).
(Review by Lance)
Our reviewer, Hugh, said, of Tetra's new CD, "Tetra is a burst of golden sunshine and will warm the listener during the shortening autumn days".
The golden sunshine didn't quite warm my Autumn days. Indeed, at times, it made them even shorter. This was music aimed at the jazz thinker (I know a few). It was cerebral, reflective, searching, probing.
After Sunday night's belter by the Greek at Blaydon, the Spanish sax man went down a different, longer, winding, road. Four musicians of unquestionable ability, when the heat was on they fanned the flames without ever quite making it a furnace.. Downes solo on Nitty Gritty would have been exceptional even without the  harp-like plucking of the piano strings - in fact,  particularly without the  harp-like plucking of the piano strings! Argülles alternated 'twixt tenor and soprano, always walking before he ran but, when he did run, it was Moe Farah set to music. Blowing tenor and soprano tubes brilliantly, albeit not as loosely as he once did, this was music that didn't go immediately for the jugular but, instead, got there eventually.
Lasserman, sound as a pound, and Maddren the man for any gig, any genre, anywhere, combined with the other two to make this a gig that the Hall Two, ground floor, audience thoroughly approved.
Most of the material was from the CD that Hugh reviewed here and perhaps that review gives a better picture of the concert than my own slant - my mind was still at Blaydon!.
Lance.

1 comment :

Hugh said...

Fair enough, Lance - I enjoyed it though...

... and JA is such a nice guy, very easy to talk to!

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