Total Pageviews

Bebop Spoken There

Kurt Elling: ''There's something to learn from every musician you play with''. (DownBeat, December 2024).

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

17630 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 904 of them this year alone and, so far, 49 this month (Dec. 20).

From This Moment On ...

December

Wed 25: Wot? No jazz!

Thu 26: The Boneshakers @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. The 17th annual Boneshakers’ Shindig.

Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free. Business as usual!.
Fri 27: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 27: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sat 28: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 11:30am. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 28: Fri 20: Castillo Nuevo @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 28: Jude Murphy, Rich Herdman & Giles Strong @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 28: Ray Stubbs R & B All-Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Stepney Bank, Newcastle. 9:00pm. Free.

Sun 29: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 29: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 30: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Wheatsheaf, Benton Sq., Whitley Road, Palmersville NE12 9SU. Tel: 0191 266 8137. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 30: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.

Tue 31: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 12 noon-2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Tue 31: Lapwing Trio @ Wallington (National Trust), Cambo, Morpeth NE61 4AR. 12 noon & 2:00pm. Admission to site £19.00.
Tue 31: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Tue 31: Archie Brown & Friends @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00-8:00pm. Free.

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

Friday, January 15, 2016

Havana Style Cuban Jam Session @ The Jazz Café. January 14

(Review by Russell/photo courtesy of Mike Tilley)
Advertised as a ‘Havana-style Cuban jam session’ this new twice monthly session is in need of a snappier moniker. The first cold blast of winter didn’t auger well. Early signs were that few if any would show up. Havana is more likely than not basking in glorious sunshine, whilst here in Newcastle the thermometer dipped below zero. Three fifths of Tyneside’s Havana Club 5 ignored the chill wind and set about dispelling winter’s worst.
Señor Carlos, Señor Alan and Señor Paul have been playing Latin grooves for years and years resulting in an intuitive understanding of which direction the music will take them and their interaction with the audience makes for a genuine social occasion. Ah, yes, the audience did materialise and they weren’t your regular jazz crowd, they were Tyneside’s Latino diaspora. Carlos Luis Rivera sang several songs, the subject matter seemingly of universal themes; relationships (blossoming/failing), family, community. The Spanish-speaking audience got it, singing along, clapping – a social occasion.
Tula’s Room to jazz-inflected Dr Billy Taylor/Ramsey Lewis territory and back to Cuban rhythms in myriad form. David Gray joined the party and, as ever, entertained with an all action display, leading the Havana boys into Song for My Father. The Jazz Café began to get busy, just in time for the Amazing Latino Dancing Girls. They weren’t known by that name but your correspondent decided on the spot that’s what they were! If Bebop Spoken Here’s editor had been present, he’d have marked this down as Gig of the Year!
Pianist Alan Law took five, encouraging Paul Wilson to play. Initially hesitant, a Ramsey Lewis vibe, in fact it was, more or less, The In Crowd showed that Wilson could play. He could well show-up at next week’s jazz jam session (Tuesday 19), let’s hope he does. As is the way, sometimes one doesn’t get a break. Señor Paul, Paul Grainger worked without a break. Just when he thought he was finished for the night, in walked Paul Gowland. PG said to PG (Grainger to Gowland)…’Fancy a blow?’ Gowland (not long out of a big band rehearsal): ‘Aye, why not?’ Rivera’s partly-dismantled set-up didn’t deter him, choosing to sit down to play. Similarly Gowland remained seated at a front row table to blow some tenor. They played some jazz, prompting the smiling Rivera to implore: ‘Latino! Latino!’ And so it went on. If this inaugural Cuban jam session is anything to go by, it is likely to develop into another of those ‘must-get-to’ sessions. The dates for your new 2016 diary: second and fourth Thursdays in the month. The next one is on January 28, eight o’clock.                                
Russell.
Carlos Luis Rivera (bongos, timbales, cowbell & vocals), Alan Law (piano) & Paul Grainger (double bass) + second set David Gray (trombone) & Paul Wilson (piano) + impromptu third set Paul Gowland (tenor saxophone) + the Amazing Latino Dancing Girls!

No comments :

Blog Archive