Bebop Spoken There

Joe Alterman: ''All I wanted to do growing up was to sound like Erroll Garner playing "Poor Butterfly." I thought that was the coolest sound I'd ever heard.'' (DownBeat November, 2026)

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

19,105 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 969 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Nov. 14) 39.

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

From This Moment On

November

Sun 15: Lianne Carroll: Jazz Vocal Weekend Workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 9:30am-5:00pm. Day 2/2. SOLD OUT!
Sun 15: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 15: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 15: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ The Waiting Room, Eaglescliffe. 7:00pm. £48.18 (to include dinner); £17.43 (concert only).
Sun 15: Sarah Gillespie & Chris Montague @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £18.00.
Sun 15: Liane Carroll @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00. Solo performance. SOLD OUT!

Mon 16: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 17: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Jacob Egglestone, Paul Grainger, Joe Deans.
Tue 17: Grammy Season (Laubrock/Seabrook/Lovato/Rainey) @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 8:00pm. JNE.

Wed 18: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 18: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 18: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 19: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 19: Papa G’s Troves @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free (donations).
Thu 19: Marina Josephina @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £10.60; £10.60.; £8.50 Early Bird.

Fri 20: Zoë Gilby & Andy Champion: The Music of Duke Ellington @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 20: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 20: Customs House Big Band @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm.

Sat 21: Pete Tanton Duo @ Awesome Frank’s, West Jesmond Metro Station, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £8.00.
Sat 21: Paul Skerritt Big Band @ The Westovian Theatre, South Shields. 7:30pm. £18.00.

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Jazz Café Jam Session - January 19.

(Review by Lance).
Once again the faithful turned out in their hordes for the Jazz Café Jam Session. The house trio set the ball rolling in 3/4 time - didn't recognise the tune although it did sound vaguely familiar. Spring Can Really Hang You up the Most, Scarborough Fair and More Than You Know followed before the first re-shuffle.
Stu Finden - the best bass playing saxophonist I know - took over from Grainger and Mrs Finden sang Bernie's Tune and Lester Leaps In before leaping out.
Nick Gould came down from Edinburgh hoping for warmer weather - as if! However, it didn't effect his tenor playing - straight down the middle renditions of  On Green Dolphin St., Out of Nowhere and My Foolish Heart - good swinging stuff.
Now a big, time taking, shuffle. A mix of young and old faces. Liu He, a Chinese student (I guess), sang The Nearness of You and Blue Moon with backing and good solos from Chris Jones on guitar and James Robson on bass. The quartet was rounded off by veteran drummer (although not the oldest drummer in the room) Eric Stutt. Look forward to hearing them again.
Gilligan returned for There Will Never be Another You and All Blues, the latter featuring Robson. Paul Wilson took over on piano for Blue Bossa, joined surreptitiously by Paul Gowland blowing tenor this week. Autumn Leaves rounded off this portion of evening in slightly confusing fashion as sometimes happens at jams. 
Gilligan and Grainger returned as did Ian Forbes who was the oldest drummer in the room if not the world! Nothing senile about his playing. Watch What Happens the tune.
Gowland came back aboard for In a Sentimental Mood then Gould joined him for a two tenor front line - the Jazz Couriers ride again!.
I think the tune may have been Shearing's Conception but I could be wrong - I often am!
What's in a name anyway? This was classic - two top tenors, contrasting styles but complementary.
 to each other. Ace rhythm section - Shangri-la. Unfortunately, with the Central Metro closing at 8pm and the 27 bus not stopping at Shangri-la I had to leave before the great amen.
Quite a session!
Lance.
Photos.
Pete Gilligan (pno); Paul Grainger (bs); Russ Morgan (dms) + Fiona Finden (vcl); Stu Finden (bs); Nick Gould (ten); Liu He (vcl); James Robson (bs); Chris Jones (gtr); Eric Stutt (dms); Paul Wilson (pno); Paul Gowland (ten); Ian Forbes (dms).

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