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Bebop Spoken There

Sullivan Fortner: ''I always judge it by the bass player: If the bass player is happy, it's going to be a good night". (DownBeat, February 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

17805 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 126 of them this year alone and, so far, 51 this month (Feb.16).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

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: Mark Williams Trio @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 23: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 23: Mississippi MacDonald @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. Blues.
Sun 23: Mu Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. CANCELLED!
Sun 23: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

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

Tue 25: ?

Wed 26: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 26: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 26: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 27: Jamie McCredie @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Fri 28: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. THIS WEEK ONLY JAMES BIRKETT (guitar)!
Fri 28: Luis Verde Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 28: Spilt Milk @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £8.00.
Fri 28: Knats @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £11.50. (inc bf.). Album launch gig. Support act TBC.
Fri 28: Black is the Color of My Voice @ The Gala, Durham. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman show inspired by the life of Nina Simone, performed by Florence Odumosu.
Fri 28: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival: Musicians Unlimited @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 8:00pm. £10.00. (Weekend ticket £20.00., available on the door). Day 1/3. Musicians Unlimited in concert.
Fri 28: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

MARCH 2025

Sat 01: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 11:00am. £15.00. Day 2/3.
Sat 01: TJ Johnson Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 01: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £25.00. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Get your funk on! Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 01: Shunyata Improvisation Group @ The Watch House, Cullercoats. 2:00-3:30pm. Free.
Sat 01: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers. Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Struggle Buggy @ The Peacock, Sunderland. 6:00pm. Blues band.
Sat 01: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 01: Jack & Jay’s Vintage Songbook @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

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 18, 2016

GIJF: Café Society Swing - Sage Gateshead April 17


Alex Webb (pno/MD); Vimala Rowe (vcl); Ciyo Brown (vcl/gtr); Sue Richardson (tpt); Winston Rollins (tmb); Nat Facey (alt); Denys Baptiste (ten/clt); Miles Danso (bs); Shaney Forbes (dms).
(Review by Lance).
What a show! I'd seen Alex Webb's brainchild a couple of years back in a little theatre just off Leicester Square so I knew what to expect - or did I?
It's the story of the legendary New York nightclubs Café Society and Café Society Uptown that flourished between December 28, 1938, and March 2, 1949.
The owner, Barney Josephson, had the outrageous idea, for the time, that black and white folks should be able to meet and eat, drink and dance - unsegregated.
Shock! Horror! cried the authorities and, eventually, they won. However, over the eleven years of its existence,some of the finest American jazz musicians played there including Lena Horne, Billie Holiday, Mildred Bailey, Ida Cox, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Meade Lux Lewis and many more.
Alex Webb narrates the story from the piano. The social aspects told with ironical humour.
Vimala Rowe (pictured visiting the Jazz Coop stall) was a new name to most of the audience - she won't be after this stunning performance!
Dressed and coiffured as befitted the period, Vimala gave exquisite renditions of, among others, such classics as All of Me; What a Little Moonlight Can do; Stormy Weather; Where or When; I Let a Song Go Out of my Heart; Ida Cox's Wild Women Don't Have the Blues; Hurry on Down to my House and the dramatic finale - Strange Fruit. 60/70 years on it's still an emotional experience and there were very few dry eyes in the near-full auditorium.
Ciyo Brown, dressed as sharp as any cat in 1940's New York, played guitar and also sang. I'd heard One Meat Ball years ago without digesting the meaning. Brown's delivery, inspired by the Josh White recording was, in its own way, as full of pathos as Strange Fruit. Lush Life, some Jimmy Rushing Blues and a great duet with Vimala on a barroom 2am song, the title of which I'm not sure, were just some of his other numbers. 
As well as narrating, Webb's piano was evocative of the era whether backing the singers or soloing. It could have been Eddie Heywood or, at times, Albert Ammons.
The horns were used in a mainly supportive role although when they did pop-up it was done effectively. Sue Richardson on trumpet had some outstanding moments, in particular, the muted intro to Stormy Weather. Facey shone brightly as did Baptiste and Rollins. Danso and Forbes kept it all well fuelled.
The Café Society slogan was "The wrong place for the right people".
Last night, Sage Two was "The right place for the right people".
Lance.

1 comment :

Jen said...

So disappointed I missed this Lance and even more after reading your comments. Thought it would be a great show. Had tickets for a couple of months and also missed Liane Carroll due to chest infection. Ah well there's next year!!

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