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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, April 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

17923 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 244 of them this year alone and, so far, 91 this month (March 31).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Wed 02: Lauren Bush: The Jazz Singer’s Toolkit @ The Pele, Corbridge. 1:00-4:00pm. Vocalist Lauren Bush with pianist Jamil Sheriff presents a jazz singing workshop. £40.00. (inc. evening concert, see below). Registration required for workshop: www.laurenbushjazz.com. All ability levels welcome.
Wed 02: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 02: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 2:30-4:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Wed 02: Lauren Bush & Jamil Sheriff @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00-9:00pm. £10.00. Concert performance. Tickets: www.laurenbushjazz.com.
Wed 02: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 02: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE! See website for updates: www.theglobenewcastle.bar.

Thu 03: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Women in Jazz.
Thu 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 03: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. A Tees Hot Club promotion. First Thursday in the month.

Fri 04: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 04: Ruth Lambert Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Fri 04: Tom McGuire & the Brassholes @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00.
Fri 04: Nicolas Meier’s Infinity Group + Spirit of Jeff Beck @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm.

Sat 05: Tenement Jazz Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 05: Sleep Suppressor @ Head of Steam, Newcastle. 5:30-6:00pm.
Sat 05: King Bees @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Raymond MacDonald & Jer Reid @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 6:00-9:30pm. £7.72., £1.00. (minimum donation). MacDonald & Reid + Objections + Yotuns.
Sat 05: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Kamasi Washington @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £33.00.
Sat 05: Vermont Big Band @ The Seahorse, Whitley Bay. 7:30pm. Tickets: £10.00 (from the venue).
Sat 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 06: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 06: Learning & Participation Showcase @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm (1:00pm doors). Free. Featuring participants from Play More Jazz! Play More Folk! Blue Jam Singers & more.
Sun 06: Joe Steels Group @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Ferg Kilsby, Joe Steels, Ben Lawrence, Paul Susans, John Hirst.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Hooch, Quayside, Newcastle. 6:00pm.
Sun 06: Leeway @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 07: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 08: ???

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, March 30, 2016

CD Review: Graeme Wilson Quartet – Sure Will Hold a Boat

Graeme Wilson (tenor saxophone), Paul Edis (piano), Andy Champion (double bass) & Adam Sinclair (drums)
(Review by Russell)
Graeme Wilson made his home on Tyneside for several years during which time he made a considerable impact on the local music scene. A founding member of GIO – the hugely influential Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra – Wilson’s involvement in numerous regional projects has left a lasting legacy. First heard as accompanist to vocalist Ruth Lambert, an array of key jobs soon came his way; the tenor chair in Voice of the North Jazz Orchestra (composing and arranging for the band and John Warren’s group), an original member of the superb saxophone quartet Saxophonics, gigging and recording with Andy Champion’s ACV and running his own band. His band – the Graeme Wilson Quartet – continues to perform and record. Sure Will Hold a Boat is Wilson’s latest CD and it’s a gem.
Wilson’s tenor playing is never less than commanding. A cast iron technique and mature tone mark out the Scot’s sound from most other tenor players. Searchlight Nevada opens the album. A tale – a fanciful tale? – about John Coltrane getting lost in the desert rips it up. The leader’s band mates are first call musicians. Pianist Paul Edis wears many hats – composer/arranger, big band MD, educator, recording artist. Bassist Andy Champion can be said to have a similar, busy schedule and drummer Adam Sinclair finds time to play in a number of bands when he isn’t in the studio working as a successful engineer/producer.  
Stellar playing from all concerned, the standard set, it’s as good as this throughout.
Nine tracks, all composed by Wilson, were recorded in the Reid Concert Hall, Edinburgh in May 2015. Some of the tunes will be familiar to gig-goers in the north east and further afield. The Sycamore and The New Wallaw were vehicles for Voice of the North (an Arts Council-funded outfit and the brainchild of Adrian Tilbrook). The compositions emerged from a Rednile project based around a closed, decaying cinema in once prosperous Blyth, a south east Northumberland town servicing the northern coalfields. The Sycamore refers to a tree taking root in the crumbling brickwork of the Art Deco building. The companion piece – The New Wallaw – bristles with optimism. Little did Wilson know that a well-known pub chain, noted for renovating and reviving some of the more interesting buildings on our high streets, would rescue the building!
Five Floors Up closes the album. Repeated listening has elevated this tune to the top of a long list of favourites. Taken at a leisurely tempo, the tenor playing is masterful, as is the piano playing. Bass and drums (Sinclair’s brushes) take it out to the accompaniment of a whistling Wilson.     
Sure Will Hold a Boat should be on any jazz fan’s ‘must have’ list of CDs. In a star rating system of 1-5 Sure Will Hold a Boat scores 6. Graeme Wilson Quartet Sure Will Hold a Boat (GBWQ002) is available now. Visit: www.graemebwilson.co.uk 
Principal CD credits: Adam Sinclair engineer, Kevin Hay assistant engineer.
Adam Sinclair mixing and mastering, Cath Reay cover photography, Lindsay Duncanson band photography.
Russell
The Graeme Wilson Quartet’s next gig on Thursday 31 March at the Davenham Theatre, Nantwich, Cheshire starts at 8:00pm. Highly recommended. Take home a CD. 

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