Total Pageviews

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

Fri 07: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 07: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 07: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ Old Lowlight, Clifford’s Fort, North Shields NE30 1JE. 7:00pm. £15.00. + bf. www.oldlowlight.co.uk. SOLD OUT!
Fri 07: Stuart Turner Trio @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Jazz, blues, Americana etc.
Fri 07: Dean Stockdale Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Fri 07: Rose Room @ Wylam Institute. 8:00pm. £19.67.
Fri 07: John Rowland Quartet @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

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: Glenn Miller & Big Band Spectacular @ The Forum, Billingham. 3:00pm.
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: 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.

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

Jazz Café Jam Session - Dec. 1

Pete Gilligan (pno); Paul Grainger (bs); Russ Morgan (dms) + Bradley Johnston (gtr); Michael Lamb (tpt); Eric Stutt (dms); Rob Bates (dms); Alec Saxon (alt); George Anyfantis (pno); Paul Gowland (alt); Duncan Walker (ten).
(Review by Lance).
The city is enshrouded with smoke, the aftermath of a massive blaze nearby, earlier in the day. It's also smokin', in jazz terminology, inside the Jazz Café.
The trio opens with Scarborough Fair and the parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme is surely burnt to a cinder! Someday My Prince Will Come; Stella by Starlight (impressive drum solo using brushes, hands and elbows!) and On the Sunny Side of the Street (spot on bass solo) follows and the room begins to fill and why shouldn't it?
Bradley Johnston takes to the stage as does the trumpet playing leader of the Strictly Smokin' Big Band, Michael Lamb. Eric Stutt, who just happens to have sticks and cymbals at the ready, adjusts the kit and they take flight on There is no Greater Love. Doxy and then Bernie's Tune. This is the moment where it all ignites! Trumpet, guitar, piano, bass, drums light the blue touchpaper and it's game well and truly on!
Rob Bates moves on to the kit and Alec Saxon wields the alto. Wayne Shorter's Footprints the victim.
Cantaloupe Island features some yackety saxing from Saxon.
George Anyfantis plays All of Me and Bradley counters with All the Things You Are.
And so the night unfolds...
Paul Gowland blows Au Privave and, naturally, Smoke Gets in Your Eyes. Duncan Walker, last seen wearing a soprano sax reappears in tenor garb. What is This Thing Called Love? and Four takes things up to my Metro departure time which is a shame as Gowland's about to return to the fray but my carriage is nigh so I miss what may well have been the number of the night!
The jam session returns on December 15 whilst on December 8 it's the long awaited return of the DB Project.
Lance

5 comments :

Eric McKenzie Stutt (on F/b) said...

It was a Great Night! Cookin'!!

Patti D. said...

Yes - blazin' hot, while we're talking of heated matters - a great night indeed. Pity I had to leave early too! We love you madly, Jazz Café!

Paul Gowland (on F/b) said...

Ha Ha it was actually 'chasin the train ', with me putting in 'Au Privave' at the end! ��

Lance said...

Caught one train (trane?) missed another! That's life!

Pam Young (on f/b) said...

Yeah brilliant night thanks guys

Blog Archive