Total Pageviews

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

17641 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 915 of them this year alone and, so far, 60 this month (Dec. 26).

From This Moment On ...

December

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. CANCELLED!
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.
Tue 31: Jan Spencelayh Quartet @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 5:00-9:00pm. A NYE ‘Dinner-Dance’ event. £42.99. Featuring special guest Mick Donnelly.
Tue 31: Jack Logan @ The Robin Hood Inn, East Wallhouses NE18 0LL. Tel: 01434 672549. 7:00pm. £59.95. ‘New Year’s Eve Gala Dinner’. Rat Pack etc.

January 2025

Wed 01: Revolutionaires @ The Old Barrel (Flatties), Boldon Colliery. 3:30pm. Free. Excellent rhythm & blues.

Thu 02: ???

Fri 03: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 03: John Gregory @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar.

Sat 04: Rivkala @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £5.00. Xmas party (rescheduled from early December).

Sun 05: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: Salty Dog @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Americana, jazz & blues.
Sun 05: Papa G’s Troves @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free (donations).

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

Tuesday, March 15, 2016

TRIO HLK + TAUPE @ The Bridge Hotel – March 13

TRIO HLK: Richard Harrold (keyboards); Ant Law (guitar); Richard Kass (drums)
TAUPE Jamie Stockbridge (alto sax); Mike Parr-Burman (guitar); Adam Stapleford (drums)
(Review by Steve H/Photos courtesy of Ken Drew.)
This was a welcome change, normally those on the bandstand are 2 generations younger than those in the auditorium, however, at The Bridge on Sunday night for this JNE/Splinter gig, the majority of the audience were young enough not to remember when Newcastle United last won a trophy but old enough to remember when it was the Toon who were at the top of the Premiership and Leicester City at the bottom.
Scotland’s Trio HLK play not only their own material but also tunes from the likes of Miles Davis, Chick Corea  and Jerome Kern (incidentally respectively). Such is the level of their improvisation, prizes were offered for guessing the names of the tunes covered. No one got the Miles number (Blue in Green)  but someone behind recognised Spain and the person sitting next to me (Sandra) spotted The Way You Look Tonight. It is hard to pigeonhole the style of music as it contained a mix of everything. The band describe it as “deviant jazz” and I see no reason to disagree. Needless to say, all musicians were highly accomplished and the collective sound they ‘cooked up’ was always interesting and enjoyable.
The evening began with a crash as Taupe’s drummer Adam Stapleford simply smashed his way into the band’s opening number. This set the tone for the rest of the trio’s set. The band, formed whilst their members were studying at Newcastle University, like to describe themselves as a ‘power jazz commando team’. The music was certainly powerful and extremely energetic - a heavy metal, free jazz tour de force although surprisingly there were some excellent subtle quiet bits amongst the mayhem.
A great evening then both the youthful and more mature audience seem to really appreciate the high octane performances although I was made aware that at least one of the members of the latter group lamented their missing earplugs.  
Steve H.  

No comments :

Blog Archive