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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

Saturday, January 09, 2016

Pannonica @ The Jazz Cafe January 8

Zoe Gilby – Vocals , Paul Edis – Piano
(Review by Steve H.)
Pannonica is Zoe Gilby’s tribute to the interpretation of Thelonious Monk by her musical heroine Carmen McRae. Several rave reviews can already be found in these electronic pages. A quartet here, a trio there. Last night we saw a stripped down version of the project with just Paul Edis on piano accompanying Zoe and what a glorious New Year’s treat it was. Paul’s playing of Monk’s work is sensational and Zoe’s interpretation of these great instrumental compositions stunning.
Each song is introduced with a brief historical explanation by prospective ‘Mastermind’ contestant Zoe, although the non-Monk digression about Zoe’s mother Hilary’s chance meeting with McRae and Dizzy Gillespie was the anecdotal highlight of the evening. Zoe’s late father Mike was mortified when Hilary told Dizzy that she had named her cat after him. The great man however was not in the slightest bit put out and took the name sharing as a compliment.
As for musical highlights it would be impossible to single out any particular number as they were all brilliant. The whole Monk canon was wonderfully represented, although the final number The Ballad of Thelonious Monk, written by Jimmy Rowles, was a delightful humorous country and western song famously sung by Carmen McRae at Ratso's.  
  A special thank you I feel should go to The Jazz Cafe for not charging entry for their first gig of 2016. To be able to hear music of this class in such intimate surroundings proves that sometimes ‘there is such a thing as a free lunch’. Sometimes the noise levels at these non-paying gigs can be quite distracting but on Friday night the audience was able to enjoy the music without any background disturbance. Even the most ebullient of Cafe revellers were silenced by the sheer quality of the performance from this outstanding duo.
Steve H.

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