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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

Sunday, May 08, 2016

NUJO @ JRA Community Festival. May 7

 Charles Philp (leader/guitar), Joe Davies (trumpet), Dominic Lodge (alto), George Simons (keyboards), Dr Nicholas Loughlin (electric bass) & Edward McCartney-Moore (drums)
(Review by Russell)
This year’s Jesmond Community Festival opened on Friday evening with a ‘Bats and Moths’ session in Jesmond Dene. Local residents (and others) were invited to ‘Learn about the different species of bats and moths that live in the UK’. A festival brochure   insisted ‘all children must be accompanied’. Imposing SAT tests on young children is contentious, insisting they take a bat along to Jesmond Dene is simply ridiculous…
The following evening another species of leafy Jesmond wildlife would be put under a musical microscope in Jesmond Library. 
A rare opportunity to examine Middleclassus Studentus (Musica) in daylight drew a capacity audience. Usually found at 2:00am in a euphoric state staggering between/bumping into Jesmond Tanks on Osborne Road with pizza box in hand, the more civilised hour of seven o’clock had a sobering effect on the examinees. One or two ties were in evidence on the stage (floor) as six members of the Newcastle University Jazz Orchestra assembled to play ‘pieces in no particular order’.
‘Jazz Night’ at Jesmond Library took the form of two sets, interval nibbles and a pad of standards, of which some would be recognisable to the none-jazz fan (the audience was comprised of those who are never seen on the scene…you know the type). All enjoyed, all applauded on cue. Band leader Charlie Philp had primed the assembled Jesmonites, suggesting it was the done thing to applaud solos as we went along. Jolly good.
The band’s set list followed the printed programme (‘pieces in no particular order’), at least for the entirety of the first set with So What, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Girl from Ipanema, a respectful Misty and guitarist Philp impressing on Mr PC some of the early highlights. A university big band is, more often than not, comprised of students reading anything other than music! The level of ability never fails to impress. A sextet assembled for this festive occasion included six-string bassist Nicholas Loughlin. The material didn’t hold any fears for the young man, ‘more than competent’ would be the assessment of Dr Nick. Band leader Philp took great delight in emphasising Dr Nicholas Loughlin as the bassist learned the previous day he had been awarded a doctorate in mathematics! His thesis was something to do with Idempotents in diagram algebras. Pass.
Guitarist Philp is a keen participant at the Jazz Café’s jam sessions and it would be good to see a few more students following in his and alto player Jordan Alfonso’s footsteps in getting up to play at Pink Lane. One such is Dominic Lodge. Another alto saxophonist, a band leader too (MD, Newcastle University Jazz Orchestra at the recent Great North Big Band Jazz Festival), Lodge is to give his degree finals’ recital at the Mining Institute on Tuesday 17 May (4:45pm). Open to the public, get along to support Dominic Lodge and several other students on the day.
The Jesmond Residents Association concert resumed with a familiar number – All Blues. Dizzy’s influence was heard on Night in Tunisia with Joe Davies blowing good trumpet, Monk’s Blue Monk followed, Coltrane’s arrangement of My Favourite Things served to highlight Lodge’s abilities and the engine room boys Dr Loughlin, George Simons (keys) and undemonstrative drummer Edward McCartney-Moore held it all together.
Jesmond Residents Association presents another jazz night on Monday 16 May, starting at 7:30pm. The Tyne Trio features vocalist Gina Devine, Charlie Philps will be involved and a number of guests will be sitting in.  
Russell.

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