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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

Monday, December 07, 2015

Andy Hudson Remembers a Night with Dave Brubeck and George Shearing

Dave Brubeck was a complete gent, fantastic to work with and the only issue he ever had was that the piano was what he expected it to be, which is not unreasonable given his trade.
The late, great, Brian Theobald, wit, partner in Ronnie Scott's and Jazz agent always said of Dave Brubeck - "one of the nicest guys in the business - only thing is, every time I try and tap my foot to his music, I break my bloody ankle!" This referred, of course, to his use of complex time Take 5 in 5/4, Unsquare Dance in 7/4, Blue Rondo a la Turk in 9/8 and the lesser known World's Fair in 13/4.
I had the delight to produce/promote him a number of times and he always delivered to the audience the show they expected. In the late ‘80s I put him on at the Festival Hall on a double bill with George Shearing, 2 sell-out shows, and asked the appropriate question...." Would they play a duet as the show's encore - They politely declined.
Unable to resist however, Dave took his final bow and stepped away from his Baldwin piano and George’s Bosendorfer was still on the stage with George sitting in the wings having been watching Dave's performance, I leapt upon Dave's Baldwin and started the Riff that was obviously the start of Take 5 - though with my playing it may have been Take 4 and a half. I asked the audience if they would like to hear them play together and the crowd went berserk.
The maestros both came on, Dave bumped me off the piano stool and carried on. George's wife led him on the stage and they played an impromptu 20 minute encore - running up overtime at the RFH but who cared?
In the green room after the show they both called me names, but admitted that they had an absolute blast.
A year later at the Nice Festival as I walked towards him, he (Dave) just said "NO" then grinned. Come to think of it - never saw a photo when he wasn't smiling. Lovely Guy.
RIP.
Andy Hudson.
Dave Brubeck died on Dec. 5, 2012 just one day short of his 92nd birthday.
George Shearing died on Feb. 14, 2011 - he too was 91.

1 comment :

Lance said...

Great story Andy and I think, apart from the Kray Twins, you're the only guy who could have pulled it off!

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