Today is International Jazz Day! Isn't that fantastic? Every venue will be packed, the FM stations will be playing nothing but jazz from Jelly Roll onwards. Every village will be stomping and the BBC will show the complete 625 series well into the night!
In a perfect world!
Truth is that only [some of] the fans and aficionados will have a clue that today is, for jazz people, the equivalent of St Patrick's/George's/Andrew's/David's day or, on a global scale, the Fourth of July and Bastille Day.
So, much as I'd like to see everyone rushing to a jazz venue near them, it's as likely as seeing me adopting a frog as a pet (It's also Save the Frog Day!)
However, for those who aren't out saving frogs, there is lots of jazz going on in and around the city.
At The Globe on Railway St., next to The Arena, the Jazz Coop present the award-winning trio of Preston Glasgow Lowe in the upstairs Jazz Bar. They've just released an impressive CD and are clearly a band to catch.
Across the river, The Scottish National Jazz Orchestra are at Sage Gateshead presenting a Dave Brubeck tribute with featured soloists Bill Dobbins (piano) and John Nugent (alto).
Back in Newcastle, the Jazz Café features Graeme Wilson (ten) and Mark Williams (guitar) in a duo they call Grandma.
There's more!
Over at the Cherry Tree, Jesmond, Bradley Johnston provides solo jazz guitar for the diners, Belinda Voshtina and James Harrison dish out a musical chaser to the whisky drinkers in the Vermont Hotel's Redwood Bar whilst, earlier in the day, Paul Skerritt serenades the visitors to Ashington's Farmer's Market.
So let the jazz begin.
Lance.
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