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Bebop Spoken There

Steve Coleman: ''If you don't keep learning, your mind slows down. Use it or lose it''. (DownBeat, January 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

17733 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 53 of them this year alone and, so far, 53 this month (Jan. 20).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Wed 22: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 22: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 22: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 22: Pasadena Roof Orchestra @ Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm.

Thu 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free. Fortnightly.
Thu 23: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Obituaries 2024.
Thu 23: Jason Isaacs @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:30-6:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Thu 23: Pedal Point Trio @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 24: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Creakin’ Bones & the Sunday Dinners @ Lindisfarne Social Club, Wallsend. 9:00pm. Admission: TBC. Jazz, blues , jump jive, rock ‘n’ roll.

Sat 25: Boys of Brass @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:30-5:30pm. Free.
Sat 25: New '58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson's Wharf, Hartlepool. 6:30pm (doors). Free. A Burns' Night event. Jazz, swing, funk, soul, blues etc.
Sat 25: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 25: Red Kites Jazz @ Parish Hall, St Barnabas’ Church, Rowlands Gill. 7:30pm. £10.00. BYOB (tea & coffee available), raffle. Proceeds to St Barnabas’ Church. Performance feat. Shayo (vocals).
Sat 25: Jack & Jay’s Songbook @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Graham Hardy Eclectic Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 26: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 26: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:30pm. Free.
Sun 26: Gratkowski, Tramontana, Beresford, Affifi @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.
Sun 26: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 27: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 28: ???

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Thu 30: Matters Unknown (aka Jonathan Enser, Nubiyan Twist) + support TBA @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £12.22 (gig & food); £9:04 (gig only).
Thu 30: Soznak @ The Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 30: Struggle Buggy @ Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Rhythm & blues.

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

Sunday, March 27, 2016

James Birkett and Bradley Johnston Jazz Guitar Duo – Hexham, Saturday, March 26

(Review by Hugh C/Photos courtesy of Rachel).
'Twas a rain-lashed Easter Eve when 30 or so of the faithful gathered in the western margins of the Beboposphere at The Little Angel Cafe, Hexham.  Diners had finished their pizza and gelati, glasses or mugs (according to taste) were charged.  At the appointed hour (8pm) an expectant hush descended on those assembled and in the glow of the single spotlight the jazz guitar maestri James Birkett and Bradley Johnston took to the floor (there is no stage  - it is a cafe).
We were to be a treated to a whirlwind tour of the oeuvre from the 1920s to the contemporary.  We started with Blues for PJ and were next in Brazil with Antonio Carlos Jobim's Wave then back in 1920s USA with Joe Venuti and Eddie Lang's duo, Stringing the Blues – the part of Venuti's violin ably taken by Johnston on guitar.  We were then treated to a beautiful ballad by Pat Metheny (a favourite of the duo as you might expect) -  Farmer's Trust.  Gypsy jazz then came to the fore with Biréli Lagrène's Fisco Place, the two guitarists chasing each other at rapid speed, but ending together bang on the note.  Brazilian composer Luiz Bonfa's Una Prece followed then a guitar version of Sonny Rollins' Doxy.  The first set was finished by the quickfire round – Django Reinhardt's Suite Number Four.  It was at this point that James Birkett suggested the guys needed “a little lie down”.
During the interval I got into conversation with James Birkett (music educator as well as jazz guitarist) and learnt two things:
          The art of improvisation is not confined to Early Music/Baroque and Jazz as is commonly thought, but extended well into the Classical period – Beethoven, in particular, was an arch improvisor who could produce a whole piece from a short musical segment thrown at him by an audience member.

          It is urban myth that the grand London music colleges were the first in this country to run courses in jazz studies – in fact, these courses started in the North of England - Newcastle, Leeds and Salford in particular, at a time when the practice rooms of the London colleges still had notices on the walls to the effect of THIS PIANO MUST NOT BE USED FOR THE PLAYING OF JAZZ!

Refreshed in both mind and body then, the second half commenced with an energetic rendition of another Sonny Rollins number, Oleo.  The duo then cooled off with a three- time piece – John Lewis' Skating in Central ParkPerfect, by Eddie Lang followed leading into a bravura rendition of Coltrane's Giant Stepsas James Birkett put it “we sometimes like to set ourselves a challenge – there's a key change about every eight seconds”.  The bluesy Blue Room (Eddie Lang/Lonnie Johnson) then Reinhardt's Large followed ending up at the penultimate number, Burt Bacharach's AlfieIt was probably the sensuous rendition of this balladic song that prompted one audience member to speak to the meeting, a distinct “Yeah!” could be heard at the end. 
And here we were, at the final number.  Throughout the evening, the set list had been fluid, with Birkett and Johnston choosing the music played as they went along.  A brief introduction from Birkett to each piece provided background and context.  The title was announced:  Chick Corea's Spain - the famous introduction from Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez stunningly presented by Johnston.  This was a tour de force and served as an excellent finale. 
Overall this was an excellent evening in the sort of venue most suited to this kind of music, an intimate space with cabaret style seating and easily available refreshment.  I thoroughly enjoyed it, was educated – and the pizza was good too!  What's not to like?
The James Birkett/Bradley Johnston Jazz Guitar Duo can be experienced at Ushaw College, Durham on April 29 at 7.30 pm and at the Lit and Phil, Newcastle on June 24 at 1 pm.
Hugh C.

1 comment :

Lance said...

I'm surprised they didn't play any seasonal tunes like Easter the Sun or Eggsactly Like You

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