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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.

Sun 30: Jan Spencelayh & Dave Archbold @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 30: Jamil Sheriff Trio w. Nadim Teimoori @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 30: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 30: Jamil Sheriff Trio w. Nadim Teimoori @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

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.

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

Friday, November 20, 2015

Jo Lawry and Will Vinson @ Sage Gateshead.

Jo Lawry (vcl/gtr/pno); Will Vinson (pno/alto).
(Review by Lance),
The game was afoot tonight, ne'er a square inch of space at any of the bars! The main attraction was Ralph McTell in Hall One. Across the great divide there was also a quorum for Mercury Rev in Hall Two. Sandwiched in between, in the Northern Rock Foundation Hall, was Jo Lawry and Will Vinson.
This was the one for those who'd made the near impossible choice of choosing between the Lit and Phil for Paul Edis' solo CD launch, the Stronger Jazz Voices gig at the Globe or this remarkable duo.
You want stronger jazz voices? You got it tonight with Jo Lawry although, it has to be said, the jazz content wasn't high. But, when it was, move over you gals on the ladder, you've still got a long way to go,
I calculated maybe a 100 bums on seats which, given the alternatives on offer in and away from Sage Gateshead, wasn't bad going. 
Many present were drawn to Ms Lawry because of her association with Sting's Shipyard extravaganza and it was easy to see why. A voice that appealed across the genres. In the main it was Joni Mitchell, Carole King, Janis Ian inspired and Jo's compositions more than held their own with her illustrious contemporaries - thank god she doesn't play cricket - she's from down under and the Ashes would be gone forever!
The jazzy numbers were Just You, Just Me, Vinson vacating the piano stool to blow some great alto. and Lawry sounding - not unlike Anita without the hat, And the jazz vocalese solo of the year - Hank Mobley's solo on Remember. This was top of the game stuff. The solo note for note and the words totally relevant to the song. Irving Berlin was surely having an appreciative chuckle as he looked down on this amazing performance. I think Annie Ross would like it too.
Kathryn Tickell, sitting in front of me, certainly did.
The less jazzier numbers were, nevertheless, just as valuable because of the strong lyrics. Several related to Vinson, her husband of just over a year. Taking Pictures, a swipe at social media and a complaint that she couldn't see the smile on the Mona Lisa because of tourists taking photos and losing a lover in the process. 
There was more, so much more, but I was too engrossed to make many notes.
Folk Meets Jazz? You got it here tonight!
So, Jo, maybe one day, an out and out jazz gig?
Sooper dooper!
Photos.
Lance.
PS: 221 to go to the 2 million page views - and only one million of them were mine! (joke!)

4 comments :

Lance said...

Here's to the next million!

JERRY said...

"discerning fans" ? Is that comment dismissive of local talent, or simply badly worded?

Lance said...

Not dismissive I think I can say that I have supported local talent, and Paul Edis in particular, whenever possible, My meaning was to convey the alternatives on offer that evening with the 'discerning fans' referring to those who attended the Lit and Phil, the Globe as well as the NRFH. Apologies if you found it confusing, I'll try and rephrase it.

JERRY said...

Thanks for that. I had hoped that I had misconstrued your words which seemed out of character in a blog which does more than its share to counter the "endangered" status of jazz in the region.

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