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Bebop Spoken There

Sullivan Fortner: ''I always judge it by the bass player: If the bass player is happy, it's going to be a good night". (DownBeat, February 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

17777 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 98 of them this year alone and, so far, 23 this month (Feb.8).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Sat 15: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 15: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 15: Elkie Brooks @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. ‘The Long Farewell Tour’.
Sat 15: Milne Glendinning Band @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 16: MOBO Song @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 12 noon. Free, performances on the concourse. Line-up inc. Jazz Attack (on stage time TBC) & Jambone (12:20pm).
Sun 16: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 16: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: BBC Introducing NE X MOBO Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Jambone, Knats, Rivkala, SwanNek.
Sun 16: The Shayo Experience @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 16: Gerry Richardson Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. .

Mon 17: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 17: Matt Forster Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance.
Mon 17: Russ Morgan Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law, Paul Grainger, John Hirst.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Jazz Milestones - 1975.
Thu 20: Renegade Brass Band @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 20: Orange Claw Hammer + Peony @ The Globe, Newcastle.7:30pm. Orange Claw Hammer play Captain Beefheart.
Thu 20: Jeremy McMurray & the Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Featuring special guest Zoë Gilby.

Fri 21: JazzMain @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 21: Joe Steels Trio @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £10.00. TBC.
Fri 21: Emma Rawicz w. Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 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

Monday, November 02, 2015

Cormac Loane's 60th Birthday @ the Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham - October 17

(Review by 'Our Man in Brum'/Photos courtesy of Mike Bates).
Saturday afternoon October 17 saw a formidable gathering of jazz musicians at the Old Joint Stock Theatre in Birmingham where Newcastle born saxophonist, and 1970’s Newcastle Big Band member, Cormac Loane was celebrating his 60th Birthday. Nearly 100 musicians and friends crowded into the candlelit upstairs room of this famous City centre pub, which assumed an authentic jazz club atmosphere for the occasion. Cormac kicked off the proceedings on alto sax with a swinging version of Duke Ellington’s Satin Doll, accompanied by his brother Terry Loane on piano, Nick Wiltshire on bass and Maurice Colby on drums. After a laid back, Latin-American interpretation of Black Orpheus, singer Fred Webb took to the stage, slowing the tempo right down with a very relaxed version of Body and Soul, with Roger Heeley now taking over on keyboard.
Three members of Jazz Strata, resident band at Birmingham’s Malt House, then came to the stage - Peter Carlton on clarinet, Andy Peat on trumpet and Allan Jones on drums, opening with Take the A Train, which included an energetic contribution on vocals from Jim Denham. And then singer Sheila Fawkes joined in on some more standards, accompanied by her multi-instrumentalist “guy”, Terry McGrath – on this occasion playing the trombone!
The Duo Montmartre – Parisian singer Celine Donmart accompanied by acoustic guitarist Cris Tolley – introduced a completely different mood with their beautiful interpretation of traditional, French, jazz-flavoured chansons. Soprano saxophone player Alan Davis then continued the French theme with his rendition of Sidney Bechet’s Petite Fleur. For this number the drum chair was taken by the legendary Steve Palmer – one time member of Birmingham Ronnie Scott’s Club resident band, and brother of the famous Carl Palmer. And Terry Loane sat in again on keyboard -  Terry explained later that he and Alan Davis had been music students together at Birmingham University in the 60s and this was the first occasion they had played together since performing the two solo recorder parts in Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No 4 in the Barber Institute in 1969!
From this point onwards the celebration turned into a true jam session, with different musicians freely dropping in and out of the band, including Martyn Brown on guitar, along with his ultra-talented 15-year-old daughter Sophia on bass, and Nick Wiltshire’s son Reuben on drums. Singer Fred Webb took to the stage again to perform a swinging version of On the Sunny Side of the Street, with Cormac soloing again on alto sax. Then Ex Cathedra soprano Claire Hollocks sang Gershwin’s I Got Rhythm, opening with the song’s beautiful verse, which is not usually heard in jazz clubs! Cormac’s son, Cian – drummer with the rock band Spitting Feathers – joined in on this number. And Howard Gregory, guitarist from the Steve Gibbons Band, contributed a brilliant solo on violin!
Sheila Fawkes returned to a stage crowded with musicians, to close the proceedings with a rousing version of Lover Come Back to Me. It had been a great celebration, re-uniting many old friends, with fantastic music in a beautiful venue!
Photos.
OMIB

3 comments :

Lance said...

Wow Cormack it sounds like it was a swell party! I wish I could have taken up your invitation. Tell me, is Alan Davis the same Alan Davis who gave Dave Weisser's daughter such invaluable recorder tuition? Looking at the photo I think it is (we once jammed together at The Chilli in Heaton many years ago.)

Cormac said...

Yes, probably. As well as being a jazz musician, Alan Davis is one of the country's leading baroque recorder players, and I too was privileged to have a recorder lesson with him on one occasion!

Jim Denham said...

Is "energetic" some kind of euphemism?

A great time was had by all, in honour of a great guy!

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