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Bebop Spoken There

Trevor Mires: ''My mum is a Dean Martin fan: I'm not, so I would grab my skateboard and get out of the house whenever I heard "Everybody Loves Somebody, Sometime." ". (Jazzwise, 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

17957 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 278 of them this year alone and, so far, 34 this month (April 14).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Fri 18: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 18: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 18: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.

Fri 18: Alexia Gardner @ Fika Gallery, Oldgate, Morpeth NE61 1LT. 7:00pm. Trio (Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy).RESCHEDULED FOR JUNE 13

Fri 18: Sarah Jane Morris & Tony Remy: The Sisterhood @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. CANCELLED! 7:30pm (doors). £25.00.

Sat 19: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-3:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 19: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 19: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 20: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 20: Salty Dog @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 20: Spilt Milk @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 20: Tweed River Jazz Band @ The Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 20: C.A.L.I.E @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 21: Newcastle Record Fair @ Copthorne Hotel, Newcastle. 10:00am. Going in search of the Buddy Bolden cylinder…
Mon 21: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. Coquetdale Jazz.

Wed 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 23: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 23: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED!

Thu 24: Mary Coughlan @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £33.80. Blues, jazz etc.
Thu 24: Darlington Big Band @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

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

Monday, April 11, 2016

Emma Fisk’s Hot Club du Nord @ Hot Club de Blaydon. April 9


Emma Fisk (violin), James Birkett (guitar), Dave Harris (guitar) & Paul Baxter (double bass)
(Review by Russell/photos courtesy of Emma Fisk)
Blaydon Jazz Club hosted the debut gig of Emma Fisk’s new Hot Club outfit. Several musicians on the north-east jazz scene turned out for the occasion, adding a few to the Black Bull’s regular numbers. Friends catching up, musicians making connections, an alive and kicking jazz club, the future looks bright!
Overlooking the Tyne, the Black Bull on Bridge Street became a Hot Club of the North for one night only. Django and Stephane the inspiration, violinist Fisk’s new quartet is destined for stardom, or, at the very least, a full diary of engagements up and down the land. Coquette, Charleston, I’m Confessin’ – the opener a classic, Charleston, a surprise, I’m Confessin’, magical with Fisk’s virtuosic intro.
Crazy Rhythm featured James ‘Django’ Birkett and introduced the depping Paul Baxter (contrabass). Baxter, more often heard in contemporary jazz circles, slotted in with ease, setting a benchmark for his long term successor. Bandleader Fisk took time to place the tunes in context; the 11-bar (Django’s prerogative) blues Viper’s Dream, rhythm master Dave Harris (a founding member of Djangology) on It Had to be You (Harris at pains to point out the difference between ‘noodling’ and ‘waffling’) and If You Only Knew How Much I Love You, heard the guitarist in fine form. Django Birkett followed up with great playing of his own on Exactly like You and the ensemble brought the first set to a close with a rousing Sweet Georgia Brown.
Interval conversation revolved around the forthcoming Gateshead Jazz Festival but not before a straw poll gave a unanimous thumbs up to the first set. World class jazz at the Black Bull, Blaydon. You’re thinking: Yeah, right. A pub in the Borough of Gateshead can’t possibly be home to such talent. It was and it is. Next month’s session will be just as good, but more of that later.
Historic recording sessions and arrangements peppered Fisk’s informative introductions. Birkett’s take on the 1936 gem Oriental Shuffle a delight, Minor Swing (Fisk suggesting they had to play it!) with staggering solos from Fisk and Birkett and the 1938 recording of Daphne revisited. Great musicians make it look easy. Nuages, then Swing 39 were as good as it gets. And there was more…Limehouse Blues and the showstopper Dark Eyes to end a marvellous evening. Fisk’s quartet clearly enjoyed working together and, for a first gig, things couldn’t have gone much better. Immaculate, note perfect violin playing, the astonishing guitar playing of Dr Birkett, Harris the rhythm king and a dream dep bass player, Emma Fisk’s Hot Club du Nord is up and running. Hot Club de Black Bull, Hot Club de France, Vive le jazz!
More world class jazz next month – May 15 – with the Noel Dennis-Paul Edis Quartet.
Russell.

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