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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

17805 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 126 of them this year alone and, so far, 51 this month (Feb.16).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

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.

Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30pm-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 22: Mississippi MacDonald @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm. Blues.
Sat 22: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Old Cinema Laundrette, Durham. 7:45pm. £16.50. SOLD OUT!
Sat 22: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sun 23: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 23: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Mark Williams Trio @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 23: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 23: Mississippi MacDonald @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. Blues.
Sun 23: Mu Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 23: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

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

Wednesday, December 02, 2015

Gateshead Welcomes Glenn Miller

(Preview by Russell)
The spirit of Glenn Miller is set to reverberate around Sage One (Sage Gateshead’s 1700 seats concert hall) during the forthcoming festive period. On Tuesday 29 December Ray McVay will lead Britain’s leading Miller outfit in a matinee concert performance which will feature many of the classic numbers associated with the legendary AAF Band. Post-Christmas and pre-New Year, Tynesiders will be champing at the bit in danger of going stir crazy. Tickets are going fast, so, to be sure of your seat, call the ticket office on 0191 443 4661.
Ray McVay goes back to the days of rock ‘n’ roll. He worked with Eddie Cochran, Gene Vincent, Brian ‘The Shadows’ Bennett, Clive Powell (aka Georgie Fame) and countless others. Theatre and television work, a long association with the Mecca organisation, Ray McVay is your genuine ‘been there, done that’ character. A life-long fan of Glenn Miller, McVay approached Glenn Miller Productions Inc in America seeking their agreement to permit the establishment of a British band to play the Miller charts. McVay won approval and set about taking Miller’s music on the road.
The classic line-up of five saxophones, four trumpets, four trombones, piano, bass, drums and two vocalists have filled concert halls time and again, year after year. The band’s two principal singers – Colin Anthony and Catherine Sykes – are joined on stage by the vocal harmony troupe the Moonlight Serenaders. Add the Jiving Lindy Hoppers to the mix and you have a fast-paced show packed with familiar tunes. The orchestra’s collective talents are too numerous to mention save for a few: Colin Anthony (BBC Big Band), Catherine Sykes (Leeds College of Music, Dave Newton), Dave Ford, lead trumpet (Portishead – a modern combo!), Simon Meredith, alto and clarinet (MYJO and NYJO), Loren Hignett, baritone and alto saxophones (BBC Big Band), Ray Wordsworth, tenor (Humph and Alex Welsh, Frank Sinatra and Mel Torme – a tidy cv), Bunny Thompson, piano (Art Farmer, Sonny Stitt, Sammy Davis Jnr – not too shabby).
So, Miller’s music has stood the test of time and withstood brickbats from some. What’s not in doubt is the ability within the ranks of Ray McVay’s Glenn Miller Orchestra. For a guaranteed great afternoon make sure you’re at Sage Gateshead on Tuesday 29 December for a three o’clock start. Telephone the ticket office now – 0191 443 4661.        
Russell.

1 comment :

Liz said...

you are so fortunate to have the Sage and these wonderful shows to enjoy...well why not? North East deserves the best....

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