Total Pageviews

Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: '' A Love Supreme coincided with my search for meaning in life". (DownBeat, March 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

17873 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 194 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (March 14).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Laurence Harrison, Paul Grainger, Tim Johnston.
Tue 18: Phil Bancroft’s Beautiful Storm @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £13.20 & £11.00.. A JNE-Gem Arts co-promotion.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Nicknames.
Thu 20: Terri Green Experience @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £15.90.
Thu 20: Lindsay Hannon Trio @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Hannon’s ‘Tom Waits for No Man’ set.
Thu 20: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:30pm. Free.

Fri 21: Paul Skerritt @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 21: Giles Strong Quartet @ 1719, Hendon, Sunderland. 7:30pm. CANCELLED!
Fri 21: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Featuring special guest Martin Litton (piano).

Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30pm-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 22: Swamp Stomp String Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Sat 22: Rivkala @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sun 23: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 23: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Mississippi MacDonald @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. Blues.
Sun 23: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: The Great Deceivers @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Tom Atkinson & co play King Crimson (1969-1974). Atkinson (guitar); Josh Bentham (alto sax); Stu Dawson (bass); Jeff Armstrong (drums).

Mon 24: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 24: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. 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, March 26, 2016

Dave Weisser & Alan Law @ The Jazz Café. March 25

Dave Weisser (vocals & trumpet) & Alan Law (piano)
(Review by Russell/Photo courtesy of Mike Tilley)
Good Friday at the Jazz Café. American ex-pat trumpeter and vocalist Dave Weisser played a long overdue gig focusing on his singing. Let’s make that Dave Weisser the  vocalist and trumpeter. Working in the company of pianist Alan Law, the set list took Chet Baker and Mose Allison as its inspiration. A relaxed Weisser – black and white cool school trumpeter’s t-shirt and cap – opened with Let’s Get Lost, huh? The huh? being the American’s invitation into his jazz world, a world as real as any other, and infinitely preferable to most.
I Love the Life I Live with its lower register drawl checked out Mose Allison. Weisser went from bass notes to trademark falsetto with consummate ease. DW’s muted horn played the occasional solo, low level reverb on the mic for clarity of horn and vocals. Pianist Alan Law, his back to DW, played his part as accompanist and soloist. Latino rhythms largely suppressed for the occasion, Law was well worth hearing on his own. Georgia, This Masquerade (Weisser’s spot-on vocals) and, for Sylvia, Nature Boy. As ever, Weisser impressed with his singing, but equally his ability to recall a lyric never fails to impress.
Weisser took time out to thank his longtime friend, pianist Barrie Ascroft, for many of the arrangements on this Pink Lane gig. DW’s contacts are many and a fair number of them were in attendance. We heard some Girl Talk, some scatting, the early hours Set ’em up Joe two-hander – not quite a quarter to three, more like a quarter to eleven, and Night and Day. Chet, West Coast, the Pretzel Logic of Steely Dan, the Muse of Miles, Bye Bye Blackbird, muted horn, audience singing, cool school style. Paul Gowland on soprano saxophone made a cameo appearance as a most enjoyable night drew to a close.
Russell.                           

4 comments :

Mal Maddock (on F/b) said...

So good to hear Dave mentioned.... A real proper jazz guy !

Anne DeVere Harper (on F/b) said...

sure is!!!

Bill Rudd (on F/b) said...

Canny scat singer too,

Lance said...

I opted out as I thought, from the blurb, it was just going to be Dave singing. Nothing wrong with that 'cept Dave without the trumpet or Dave, without the singing means you're only getting half a loaf! Do it again and I'll be first in the queue!

Blog Archive