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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

17733 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 53 of them this year alone and, so far, 53 this month (Jan. 20).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Fri 24: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Creakin’ Bones & the Sunday Dinners @ Lindisfarne Social Club, Wallsend. 9:00pm. Admission: TBC. Jazz, blues , jump jive, rock ‘n’ roll.

Sat 25: Boys of Brass @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:30-5:30pm. Free.
Sat 25: New '58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson's Wharf, Hartlepool. 6:30pm (doors). Free. A Burns' Night event. Jazz, swing, funk, soul, blues etc.
Sat 25: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 25: Red Kites Jazz @ Parish Hall, St Barnabas’ Church, Rowlands Gill. 7:30pm. £10.00. BYOB (tea & coffee available), raffle. Proceeds to St Barnabas’ Church. Performance feat. Shayo (vocals).
Sat 25: Jack & Jay’s Songbook @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Graham Hardy Eclectic Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 26: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 26: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:30pm. Free.
Sun 26: Gratkowski, Tramontana, Beresford, Affifi @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.
Sun 26: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 27: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 28: ???

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Thu 30: Matters Unknown (aka Jonathan Enser, Nubiyan Twist) + support TBA @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £12.22 (gig & food); £9:04 (gig only).
Thu 30: Soznak @ The Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 30: Struggle Buggy @ Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Rhythm & 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

Saturday, November 14, 2015

Blind Monk @ The Jazz Café - Nov. 13










Bob Whittaker (ten); Hugo Harrison (bs); Johnny Hunter (dms).
(Review/bw photo by Lance/Colour photos courtesy of Mike Tilley).
Friday the 13th, unlucky for some, but not for those at the Jazz Café last night where the lads from Liverpool, the Blind Monk Trio, pleased all but the most discerning ears. Tenor/bass/drums trios are becoming more and more the norm these days both here, in Europe and New York and, with the absence of guitar or keyboard, allows the saxophonist a freer hand, carte blanche if you will, to travel where e'er he care to.
This, Whittaker did well only rarely trespassing beyond the bounds of sanity.
It took them awhile to acclimatise - literally! The saxman played the first set wearing a duffle coat (yes they still make them!) whilst Harrison sported a woolly hat. By contrast, Hunter was in almost Costa Del Sol apparel. As the set progressed, with most numbers containing an end of gig style drum solo, it was easy to see why! 
This was contemporary without anyone sending an urgent message to the RSPCA. Nor were there any poncy music stands or visible ipads - it came from the heart.
Mainly originals, often with quite quirky heads punctuated with pregnant pauses. This was music to keep you wide awake. My bottle of Geordie Jazz (A traditional bitter, amber in colour, it's maltiness offset with plenty of bitterness using traditional English Goldings and Fuggles hops) could have been re-named Scouse Jazz - the Fuggles and the Goldings were dancing in the bottle to the beat and this was to a tune that was almost a ballad - almost!
Come the second set, the woolly hat now sat atop of the double bass scroll with the duffle discarded.
They swung out, brother did they swing out. Hunter gave another end of set solo even though the set end was but a dot on the horizon!
Whittaker pitched in taking it to the limit. A slugfest 'twixt tenor and traps with Harrison as referee. No prisoners taken, no quarter given.
This was way out, and I use the expression advisedly, of my comfort zone yet I didn't mind. When somethings done well and effectively comfort zones cease to exist.
The music, as the name implies, hints at Thelonious Monk. Imagine Monk, blind drunk, and you've got the picture. They did actually play a Monk tune, the appropriately named Friday the Thirteenth.
There was also a Sam Rivers number but, in the main, original compositions by the three individuals.
There was a good turn out for a band which deserved nothing less.
Maybe I'll end up supporting Everton or Liverpool!
Photos.
Lance.

2 comments :

Anonymous said...

Boss trio, nice review. Blind Monk Trio regularly appear at The Caledonia, Liverpool -- always a great night. Cheers 🍻.

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

Cracking gig indeed!

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