Bebop Spoken There

Christian McBride: ''We knew back in the day that Emmet [Cohen] had it.'' (DownBeat July, 2026)

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

18699 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 573 of them this year alone and, so far this month (July 11) 27

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

From This Moment On

July

Sun 12: Jazz Stage: Mouth of the Tyne Festival (o/s Tynemouth Priory), Tynemouth. Free. Trilogy of Four (11:00am); River City Jazzmen (12:10pm); Delta Prophets (1:20pm); B.O.C.K.S. Set (2:30pm); Mouth of the Tyne All Stars (3:40pm). Day 2/2.
Sun 12: Phantom Bagman + OUTRI @ The Bandstand, The Sele, Hexham. 12 noon. Free.
Sun 12: 58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00-3:00pm. Free.
Sun 12: Tyne Valley Big Band @ Easington Social Welfare Centre. 2:00-4:00pm. A Durham Brass Festival event.
Sun 12: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 12: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 12: Guisborough Big Band @ Zetland Park Methodist Church, Redcar. 2:00-4:00pm. Free. Charity gig in aid of Parkinson’s Society.
Sun 12: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 12: The Bridge Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 13: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 13: Shildon Little Brass Bash @ Locomotion, Shildon. 6:00-9:00pm. Free. Durham Brass Festival. Multi-bill of street brass bands.
Mon 13: Quarrington Little Brass Bash @ Quarrington Community Centre. 6:00-8:00pm. Free. Durham Brass Festival. Multi-bill of street brass bands.

Tue 14: Vieux Carre Hot 4 @ Victoria & Albert Inn, Seaton Delaval. 12:30pm. £15.00 (reservations: 0191 237 3697). ‘July Jazz Barbecue!’
Tue 14: Crook Little Brass Bash @ Crook Community Centre. 6:00-8:00pm. Free. Durham Brass Festival. Multi-bill of street brass bands.
Tue 14: Barnard Castle Little Brass Bash @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 6:00-8:00pm. Free. Durham Brass Festival. Multi-bill of street brass bands.
Tue 14: Nomade Swing: Dos Guitars Trio @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00. Tickets from Tully’s, Rothbury. Luco Allievi, Alessandro Brizio, Mariano Gallizio. ‘A Journey Through Swing, Gypsy Jazz, Soul & Pop’.
Tue 14: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 15: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 15: Willington Big Brass Bash @ Town Park, Willington. 6:00-9:00pm. Free. Durham Brass Festival. Multi-bill of street brass bands.
Wed 15: Nomade Swing: Dos Guitars Trio @ Café Needle’s Eye, Promenade, Newbiggin-by-the-Sea NE64 6XE. 6:00pm. Free. Luco Allievi, Alessandro Brizio, Mariano Gallizio. ‘A Journey Through Swing, Gypsy Jazz, Soul & Pop’.
Wed 15: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 15: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 15: Side Café Orkestar @ The Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £15.00 (£11.00. adv.); £12.00 concs (£8.00. concs adv.).

Thu 16: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 16: Spennymoor Big Brash Bash @ Jubilee Park, Spennymoor. 6:00-9:00pm. Free. Durham Brass Festival. Multi-bill of street brass bands.
Thu 16: Coxhoe Little Brass Bash @ Village Green (Pit Wheel). 6:00-8:00pm. Free. Durham Brass Festival. Multi-bill of street brass bands.
Thu 16: Nomade Swing: Dos Guitars Trio @ Lollo Rosso, Morpeth. 7:30pm. Free. Luco Allievi, Alessandro Brizio, Mariano Gallizio. ‘A Journey Through Swing, Gypsy Jazz, Soul & Pop’.
Thu 16: Stevie Jay Duo @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free. Julija Jacenaite & Steve Glendinning.
Thu 16: DK Harrell @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £20.00 + bf. USA blues.
Thu 16: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Fri 17: Mejedi Owusu w. Francis Tulip Trio @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 17: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 17: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 17: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 17: Seaham Big Brass Bash @ Terrace Green, Seaham. 6:00-9:00pm. Free. Durham Brass Festival. Multi-bill of street brass bands.
Fri 17: Newton Aycliffe Big Brass Bash @ Town Park, Newton Aycliffe. 6:00-9:00pm. Free. Durham Brass Festival. Multi-bill of street brass bands.
Fri 17: Ray Stubbs R&B Allstars @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free.
Fri 17: Mejedi Owusu w. Francis Tulip Trio @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.
Fri 17: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ St Cuthbert’s Centre, Crook. 7:30pm.
Fri 17: Nomade Swing: Dos Guitars Trio @ Repas 7 by Night, Berwick. 8:00pm. Free. Lollo Rosso, Morpeth. 8:00pm. Luco Allievi, Alessandro Brizio, Mariano Gallizio. ‘A Journey Through Swing, Gypsy Jazz, Soul & Pop’.

Sat 18: Streets of Brass @ Market Place, Durham City. 10:00am-4:00pm. Free. Durham Brass Festival. Multi-bill of street brass bands.
Sat 18: Brass Boat Cruise @ Boathouse, Elvet Bridge Jetty, Durham City. Departures at 10:30am, 12 noon, 1:30pm, 3:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £5.00 (all prices + bf). Durham Brass Festival. Various bands.
Sat 18: Party in the Park @ Wharton Park, Durham City. 5:00-9:00pm. Free. Durham Brass Festival. Multi-bill of street brass bands. Entrance o/s Durham Railway Station (Northbound platform).
Sat 18: Zoë Gilby & Dean Stockdale @ FIKA Art Gallery, Morpeth. 6:30pm.
Sat 18: Mejedi Owusu w. Francis Tulip Trio @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00-9:00pm. £10.00.
Sat 18: Tyne Valley Big Band + Revolutionaires @ Pelton Community Centre. 7:00pm. A Durham Brass Festival event.
Sat 18: Dale Storr @ The Straw Yard, The Barracks, Berwick. 7:30pm. £15.38. Solo piano.
Sat 18: Nomade Swing: Dos Guitars Trio @ Red Lion Inn, Alnmouth. 8:30pm. Free. Lollo Rosso, Morpeth. 8:00pm. Luco Allievi, Alessandro Brizio, Mariano Gallizio. ‘A Journey Through Swing, Gypsy Jazz, Soul & Pop’.

Friday, May 27, 2016

Ingrid Jensen Quartet @ The Black Swan May 26












Ingrid Jensen (trumpet); Jez Franks (guitar); Andy Champion (bass); Tim Giles (drums)
(Review by Steve H/Photos courtesy of Ken Drew (right and Mike Tilley left)
This spectacular gig was another in the ‘Women Makes Music’ series and came to fruition as a result of 2 years’ worth of planning by NorVol (the network of Northern jazz promoters). Don’t you just love it when a plan comes together? The internationally renowned bandleader Ingrid Jensen teamed up with Londoners Jez Franks and Tim Giles and completing the quartet was Tyneside’s very own Andy Champion. Jensen flew in on Monday and the band had been rehearsing in the Jazz Café since Tuesday.  Thursday night was, therefore, the world premiere of this outfit which now embarks on a short Northern tour before finishing up with a gig at Ronnie Scott’s.
From the first note to the last, one can only describe the music emanating from the stage as pure class. Two superb sets separated by Jazz North East’s legendary raffle which Paul Bream introduces with a level of jocularity that Ronnie Scott would have been proud of.   The compositions from Ingrid Jenson were interspersed with interpretations of standards and other great composers including fellow Canadian trumpet player the late great Kenny Wheeler. There were also tunes from Ingrid’s younger saxophonist sister Christine and also one from guitarist Franks. The content of performance was wonderfully varied - slow, fast, free, melodious, quiet, loud, fierce and peaceful passages integrated throughout the evening.  Each member of the band excelled both individually and as part of the ensemble.  Franks and Giles I hadn’t heard before and I was suitably impressed. Andy Champion we already know is a superb bassist and Ingrid Jensen is simply a world class performer. The impressively sized audience loved every minute and at the end of the final number applauded vociferously and were rewarded with a masterful encore.
Ken Drew Photos.
Steve H.
at

2 comments :

Pam Young (on f/b) said...

Totally agree Steve this was a top class gig

Friday, May 27, 2016 7:45:00 pm
Steven Tulip said...

Spare a thought for no. 1 son; his long-suffering girlfriends 18th birthday is kicking off at the 02 Academy and his guitar tutor for the next 4 years is playing the Swan. You couldn't make it up (unless of course you're Rowan Atkinson or Dawn French).
He was expecting a masterclass from Jez Franks and got one. Like Pat Metheny he's an all-rounder, a great follower with great technique, precision legato and never misses or plays a duff note. He 'beasted' it up during the first set and the chap on the next table was lost in the zone.
AC - nuff said.
Tim Giles played the Lifecycles at the Sage at the Festival so the 3 Jamboners there already knew him. He keeps time in his sleep and when awake he does all the other stuff as well, and what a nice, friendly lad too.
Ingrid Jenson was extremely impressive, both as musician and leader, exuding confidence: giving signals, counting them in, counting them out and openly giving verbal instructions.
Somebody said the band needed at least another horn but, in my view, the guitar bridges the gap between rhythm and trumpet better than a piano and whenever it felt like (ie)a sax should come in she'd change it round with pedals, loops or some fantastically subtle use of the mute.
It's probably lazy to compare every modern trumpet player to Miles but difficult to avoid, such was the scope of output in his long career(and it's possibly lazy to compare guitar and drums to McLaughlin and Williams respectively). We currently seem to be settled somewhere between the final acoustic albums of the Second Great Quintet and the rock stuff before it got ferocious, suggesting it takes about fifty years for the rest of us to catch up, but Ingrid slips effortlessly through what, at the time, was considered one of the most revolutionary changes in Jazz History.
Wheelers 'where do we go from here' could refer to the current state of politics in the US she suggested (and the UK) but, I propose, equally to the music or, as she put it, 'whatever it is we're doing.'
I like to buy an album at the gig, as much to support the artist, and they're always good, but hers is genuinely fantastic.
Since we're all at it, gig of the year so far? Quite possibly, and I didn't see it coming until: Zoe Gilby arrived - no surprise there - but then: Paul Edis, Chris Hibbard, Alice Grace, Johnny Donne, Graham Hardy, Abby Finn, Ros (recently retired from Sage) and aplogies to anyone git important I've missed, but it looked like it might be something special, and it was.

Saturday, May 28, 2016 2:03:00 pm

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments ( Atom )

Blog Archive