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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

17755 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 76 of them this year alone and, so far, 1 this month (Feb.1).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Sat 08: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 08: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 08: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 08: Lewis Watson Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 08: Anth Purdy @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. ‘Swing Jazz Guitar’.
Sat 08: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A Newcastle University Jazz Orchestra event. All welcome.

Sun 09: The New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 09: Glenn Miller & Big Band Spectacular @ The Forum, Billingham. 3:00pm.
Sun 09: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Tom Remon & Mark Williams @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 09: Rod Oughton’s Tomorrow’s New Quartet with Ben van Helder @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Line-up inc. Deschanel Gordon.
Sun 09: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 10: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 11: Steve Summers Quintet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm.

Wed 12: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Jam session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 12: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 13: Student Performances @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 4:00pm. Free. Inc. Olly Styles (tenor sax).
Thu 13: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: Artist Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Hannabiell & Midnight Blue.
Thu 13: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 14: John Rowland Trio @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 12:30-1:30pm. £5.00. at the door. New second Friday in the month concert series.
Fri 14: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 14: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 14: Archipelago + Anna Tempest @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £8.00.
Fri 14: Paul Jones & Dave Kelly @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. Rhythm & blues.
Fri 14: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Fri 14: Jazz Sabbath @ 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

Sunday, November 22, 2015

Maciek Pysz Trio @ The Globe Jazz Bar - Nov. 22

Maciek Pysz (gtrs); Yuri Goloubev (bs); Asaf Sirkis (dms).
(Review by Lance/Photos courtesy of Ken Drew).
Newcastle United lost 3-0 to Leicester City but, the big losers in Newcastle on Saturday were those who weren't at the Globe Jazz Bar for what could be the gig of the year, musicwise, for the Jazz Coop.
Maciek Pysz, an original and outstanding Polish guitarist, the legendary Asaf Sirkis, who must be ranked among the best kit-men anywhere, and Yuri Goloubev - a bassist of great dexterity. This was the real deal and how sad that so few made the effort.
However, those that did applauded louder than those supporters in the Leazes' End at St. James' Park - hmm, bad analogy!
From the start it was obvious that this was going to be something special. Using a Godin Multiac SA 1, a nylon strung semi-acoustic guitar, Pysz had the audience enthralled.  The beautiful sound that only a nylon strung guitar can give, coupled with a fleetness of finger that only the most agile of players can pull off, told us we were in the presence of, not just a master craftsman, but an original artist.
The material, mainly from his two previous albums and, in particular, his latest one - A Journey. varied in both mood and tempo reflecting many of the places he'd visited. Water Streets, a musical portrait of Venice, being just such a one, 
Desert was dedicated to the great flamenco guitarist Paco Di Lucio who died last year. There is lots of flamenco influences in Pysz' own playing even though this contained the most swing-like music of the night.
As well as the Godin, Pysz also used a Tanglewood steel strung cutaway utilising a selection of pedals. Totally different mood but my leaning was to the Spanish guitar
Three musicians from three different countries each bringing their own ethnic flavour and none more so than Asaf Sirkis. The London based Israeli opted to use the house drum kit, albeit with eccentricities of his own added, giving a masterclass in drumming the like of which hasn't been heard at the Globe even though there have been many outstanding players at the venue; but Asaf is something else.
So is Moscow's Yuri Goloubev! As resonant a double bass tone as I've heard and, when playing arco, as sonorous as a cello. The three of them gelled and intertwined like only a band that has worked together in the studio and on the road over a period of time can.
Apart from the photos, Ken Drew also did the sound producing a fine individual balance.
Perhaps the most poignant moment was on Somebody we Knew (or was it Peacefully Waiting?)with reference to Paris. The audience applauded and the emotion could be felt in the playing.
Photos.
Lance.

2 comments :

Debra Milne (on F/b) said...

A wonderful gig, particularly in such an intimate venue .... so far my favourite Jazz Coop gig ever!

Mary James said...

What a lovely thing to say Debra! Please have Maciek back one day!

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