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Bebop Spoken There

Van Morrison: ''Basically, I'm coming from jazz. Not pop, not rock, not what's commercial. That's where I started, and that's still where I am. I feel the same as I did when I was listening to Louis Armstrong, Lead Belly, Jelly Roll Morton''. (The Northern Echo, 12 June 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

17,533 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 497 of them this year alone and, so far, 75 this month (June 23).

From This Moment On ...

JUNE 2025

Wed 25: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 25: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 25: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 25: The Magpies of Swing @ The Roxy, Leadgate, Co. Durham. 7:30pm. A Ginger Jitterbugs swing dance event, all welcome.

Thu 26: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Brass Instruments & the use of mutes.

Fri 27: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm.
Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 27: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 8:00pm. ‘Time After Time’.

Sat 28: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Linskill Centre, North Shields. 4:00-10:30pm. Free, but ticketed (over 18s only). A multi-bill, multi-genre ‘Canny Shiels - North Shields 800’ event. Three Kings Brewery on site.
Sat 28: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 28: Jude Murphy & Dan Stanley @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 29: Jude Murphy & Dan Stanley @ Wallington, Northumberland. 12 noon-1:00pm & 2:00-3:00pm. Tel: 01670 773606. National Trust admission prices apply. ‘Tunes in the Blooms’.
Sun 29: Bal Bruch Social Dance @ As You Like It, Sandyford, Newcastle. 12:30pm. Free. Dance event with Hot Club de Heaton performing live (2:00-3:00pm). A ‘Jar on the Bar’ event.
Sun 29: Glenn Miller Orchestra UK @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 3:00pm. Ray McVay & co.
Sun 29: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 29: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 29: Zoë Gilby w. Ryton Choral Society @ Corbridge Middle School NE45 5HX. 5:30pm. £15.00. Gilby w jazz trio & choir. ‘An evening of jazz song for choir’.
Sun 29: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 29: John Wilson & the Sinfonia of London @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. ‘Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Greatest Hits’.
Sun 29: Out Front @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. JNE.

Mon 30: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club (1:00pm). Free.

JULY 2025

Tue 01: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Mark Robertson.
Tue 01: Customs House Big Band @ Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.

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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