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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, April 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

17904 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 225 of them this year alone and, so far, 72 this month (March 24).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Mon 31: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

APRIL 2025

Tue 01: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Mark Robertson.
Tue 01: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, North St., Ferryhill DL17 8HX. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 02: Lauren Bush: The Jazz Singer’s Toolkit @ The Pele, Corbridge. 1:00-4:00pm. Vocalist Lauren Bush with pianist Jamil Sheriff presents a jazz singing workshop. £40.00. (inc. evening concert, see below). Registration required for workshop: www.laurenbushjazz.com. All ability levels welcome.
Wed 02: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 02: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 2:30-4:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Wed 02: Lauren Bush & Jamil Sheriff @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00-9:00pm. £10.00. Concert performance. Tickets: www.laurenbushjazz.com.
Wed 02: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 02: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. POSSIBLE CANCELLATION. See website for updates: www.theglobenewcastle.bar.

Thu 03: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Women in Jazz.
Thu 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 03: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. A Tees Hot Club promotion. First Thursday in the month.

Fri 04: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 04: Ruth Lambert Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Fri 04: Tom McGuire & the Brassholes @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00.
Fri 04: Nicolas Meier’s Infinity Group + Spirit of Jeff Beck @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm.

Sat 05: Tenement Jazz Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 05: Sleep Suppressor @ Head of Steam, Newcastle. 5:30-6:00pm.
Sat 05: King Bees @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Raymond MacDonald & Jer Reid @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 6:00-9:30pm. £7.72., £1.00. (minimum donation). MacDonald & Reid + Objections + Yotuns.
Sat 05: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Kamasi Washington @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £33.00.
Sat 05: Vermont Big Band @ The Seahorse, Whitley Bay. 7:30pm. Tickets: £10.00 (from the venue).
Sat 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 06: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 06: Learning & Participation Showcase @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm (1:00pm doors). Free. Featuring participants from Play More Jazz! Play More Folk! Blue Jam Singers & more.
Sun 06: Joe Steels Group @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Ferg Kilsby, Joe Steels, Ben Lawrence, Paul Susans, John Hirst.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Hooch, Quayside, Newcastle. 6:00pm.
Sun 06: Leeway @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

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

CD Review: National Youth Jazz Orchestra - NYJO FIFTY

A gem! Surely the big band album of the year! Over the years (50 of them!) NYJO has spawned a host of the UK's most outstanding jazz artists - four of them guest on this half-centennial celebration and they are walking/blowing adverts for their alma mater. However, we already know the skills of Rahman, Siegel, Nightingale and Lochrane and, whilst it's always good to hear then in whatever the setting, the ace in the hole here is in spotting the stars of the future and, take my word for it, there's a whole galaxy of them!
Sam Glaser's work out on A Foggy Day singles him out as an alto man to watch although fellow altoist Jim Gold makes him go the distance in their alto joust on Matt Wates' Never the Twain.
More musicuffs on Chris Smith's Going Dutch where Healey and Ridout lock tenors. I can't give a decision as I don't know who went first suffice to say that if it had been a fist fight there'd have been plenty blood around!
Neither of the trombone soloists top Nightingale's feature on Jerome Kern's Bill but, after hearing Dunnett and Dawson, he's probably looking over his shoulder!
Then there's Jessica Radcliffe! What a discovery! Finding My Feet, composed by NYJO's first md Bill Ashton OBE is one of those beautiful songs that bring to mind Alice Faye in a '30s Hollywood musical . It has that feel, but Jessica's voice and Paul Hart's arrangement aren't at all dated.
It's a double CD and space prevents me highlighting everything so, take my word, every track's a highlight!
It was released on Friday Nov. 13 on Whirlwind Recordings WR4679. (Samples).
Lance.
Mark Armstrong - Musical Director
Rosie Stano (flute), Jim Gold, Sam Glaser (alto sax, clarinet), David Healey, Tom Ridout (tenor sax, clarinet), Jessamy Holder (bari sax, flute, clarinet), Alex Chadwick (bari sax);
James Davison, Tom Dennis, James Copus, Tom Gardner, Alistair Martin, Matthew Yardley, Jake Labazzi  (trumpet, flugelhorn); Anna Drysdale, Eddie Morgan (French horn);
Tom Dunnett, Owen Dawson, Chris Valentine, Maddie Dowdeswell, Chris Saunders, Jasper Rose (trombone); James Buckle (bass trombone); Rupert Cox (piano); Rob Luft, Nick Fitch (guitar); Joe Downard (bass); David Dyson (drums); Max Mills (percussion); Jessica Radcliffe (voice).​
GUEST ARTISTS​
Zoe Rahman - piano (Red Squirrel); Julian Siegel - tenor sax (Mama Badgers); Mark Nightingale - trombone (Bill); Gareth Lockrane - flute (Rush Hour).

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