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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

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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