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Bebop Spoken There

George Porter Jr.: ''To me, syncopation is like jazz. It wasn't meant for the masses. It was meant just for a hip few". (DownBeat, May 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

18018 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 339 of them this year alone and, so far, 17 this month (May 7).

From This Moment On ...

MAY 2025

Mon 12: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 12: Gregory Porter + Jo Harrop @ Newcastle City Hall. 7:30pm. Support act: Jo Harrop!

Tue 13: ???

Wed 14: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Recital (stage 2): Leah Kirk (voice) @ The Band Room, Music Studios, Assembly Lane, Newcastle University. 3:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 14: Tannery jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm.
Wed 14: Jerron Paxton @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £24.20. Excellent country blues multi-instrumentalist.
Wed 14: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. BACK IN BUSINESS, all welcome!

Thu 15: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: The Greatest in Jazz - Guitarists.
Thu 15: Pete Tanton & the Cuban Heels @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 15: New Ways of Moving in the Counterworlds @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). John Garner & John Pope.

Fri 16: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 16: Sophie Speed with the Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 16: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 16: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 16: Giles Strong Quartet @ Longframlington Memorial Hall. 7:00pm (doors). Tickets: £12.00. from 01665 570984.
Fri 16: Hot Club du Nord @ St Cuthbert’s Centre, Crook. 7:30pm. £10.00.
Fri 16: Peter Donegan & Anthony Donegan @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 7:30pm. ‘Lonnie Donegan - The Stories’.

Sat 17: Teresa Watson Band @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Blues.
Sat 17: The Society Quartet @ Hilton Garden Inn, Sunderland. 6:00pm. Tel: 0191 500 9494. £26.00 (inc. two course meal). Line-up: Jason Holcomb, Hannah Taylor, Alix Shepherd & Abbie Finn.
Sat 17: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 17: Archie Brown & the Young Bucks @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Rhythm & blues, Americana etc.
Sat 17: Rockin’ Turner Brothers @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Rockabilly, Western swing etc.

Sun 18: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 12 noon-2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 18: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 18: Ruth Lambert & Giles Strong @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 18: Steve Summers Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

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, May 15, 2016

Anita Wardell @ The Globe - May 14.

Anita Wardell (vcl); Robin Aspland (pno); Paul Grainger (bs); Tristan Maillot (dms).
(Review by Lance).
The old adage that "Those that can do and those that can't teach" didn't apply here. Ms. Wardell does both better than anyone around, as any of the students who attended this weekend's jazz vocal course at the Globe will attest to. Indeed, if only 50% of her talent rubs off on those aspiring singers some of the more established names will soon be looking over their shoulders.
The Jazz Coop's HQ was understandably crowded although it has to be said that, with a couple of exceptions, the north-east 'jazz faithful' were prominent by their absence.
Their loss, poor souls!
Cathedral bells were tolling and our hearts sang on/Was it the spell of Paris or the April dawn?/Who knows if we shall meet again/But when the morning chimes ring sweet again... 
A verse I didn't recognise but the chorus I certainly did. I'll Be Seeing You. However, this was no Vera Lynn (bless her!) version but more Ella meets Betty Carter with a scat solo any horn player would be proud of -providing their fingers could move fast enough. Talking fingers - what piano playing from Robin Aspland! Is he the most underrated 88er in the UK? Undoubtedly!
Oscar Pettiford's Tricotism saw more vocal dynamics, Aspland again outstanding, Grainger still in the game and Maillot's brushwork exemplary. 
Ballad time. Young and Foolish. Why are the wannabees still singing Summertime and Funny Valentine when there are songs like this around? Wardell takes it to places where Edmund Hockridge would fear to tread, The phrasing, the choice, yet unexpected, intervals that the lady incorporates is further proof that we're in the presence of someone special.
Willow Weep For Me (Maillot on mallets); Jobim's Dreamer led to By the Light of the Silvery Moon which segued into What a Little Moonlight Can Do with more amazing scatting that left everyone breathless.
Time to top up the Gold Tankard. An appropriate beverage. On a night like this, silver or bronze was out of the question!
The second set opened up with All God's Chillun Got Rhythm, well maybe not all of 'em but certainly the four on stage have it in abundance! I've Never Been in Love Before. Then an emotive Some Other Time with just voice and piano. Anita dedicated this to Angela Elliott. She didn't elaborate and I wondered, sadly, if this was the Angela E who wrote for the blog in our early days? Angela lived in London, sang jazz and was also a published author. I hope not. (It wasn't!)
The Jon Hendricks lyric to Don't Getz Scared brought Annie Ross to mind and Oleo saw the night out. I should have left earlier but no way could I miss this, so taxi was ordered!
Lance

1 comment :

Jen said...

A spot on review Lance. Couldn't agree more with what you say. My favourite although hard to chose was Young and Foolish - brought tears to my eyes - so much emotion in Anita's voice.

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