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Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: '' A Love Supreme coincided with my search for meaning in life". (DownBeat, March 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

17838 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 159of them this year alone and, so far, 6 this month (March 3).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Sat 08: Jamie Taylor, Graham Harvey, Andy Champion @ Divinity House Concert Hall, Palace Green Music Dept., Durham University. 7:00-9:00pm (6:30pm doors). £7.50. (£6.00. DUJS member). ‘An Evening of Jazz’. Later in the evening the trio will be joined by Freddie Krone, drums (Durham Uni final year music student).
Sat 08: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 08: Lagos to Longbenton @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Afrobeat, jazz-fusion.

Sun 09: The New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 09: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Wokitoki @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Tom Atkinson (drums, guitar); Sue Ferris (sax, flute); Jude Murphy (bass guitar, flute). Jazz standards, bebop, free jazz, Latin & more. Upstairs.
Sun 09: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Downstairs.
Sun 09: Zhenya Strigalev’s 2025 Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 10: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club.

Tues 11: Solea @ Earthlings, the Healing Café, 94 Buckingham St., Newcastle, NE4 5QR. 7:00-8:45pm. Food available if ordered before 6:30pm. New band: Johannes Dalhuijsen (tenor sax, bass clarinet); Richard Herdman (guitar); Nick Bagnall (bass guitar); John Hirst (drums).
Tue 11: Giles Strong Quartet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm.

Wed 12: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Jam session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 12: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 13: The Exu + Matt Cliffe @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 13: Oh La La! @ Allendale Village Hall, Northumberland. 7:30pm. £12.00.; £6.00. child. Fifi La Mer (accordion, vocals), Oliver Wilby (reeds).
Thu 13: Fiona Finden’s Jazz Express @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 14: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 14: Paul Taylor @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00-2:00pm. £5.00. at the door. Second Friday in the month lunchtime concert series.
Fri 14: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 14: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 14: Brass Funkeys + Dilutey Juice @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £8.00.
Fri 14: Oh La La! @ Edmundbyers Village Hall, Co. Durham. 7:30pm. £12.00.; £10.00. (additional £5.00. supper option, ordered in advance). Fifi La Mer (accordion, vocals), Oliver Wilby (reeds).
Fri 14: The Collective @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £8.50.
Fri 14: Bridget Metcalfe Quintet @ St George’s Venue, Park Road, Hartlepool. 7:30pm.

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

Monday, June 06, 2016

CD Review: Beat This: The Lawnmowers Theatre Company

(Review by the Comeback Kid)
So here I am again, thankfully minus my gall bladder, reviewing a CD off my own bat or rather pen, if Lance Blogmaster allows it. And it’s not even a jazz CD as such, but it will be of interest to jazz fans, especially drummers and percussionists.  The Lawnmowers Theatre Company is based in Gateshead and the organisation does an excellent job of working with people who have learning difficulties who do music and drama.  I found out about this group during the Late Shows Weekend, which happens each Spring, when museums, libraries etc are open late to the public. 
The CD, a bargain at £5 for 12 long tracks, is a wonderfully varied miscellany of music produced by the glass orchestra (tubes, sheets and domes of glass, giving out tinkles, tones, ethereal sounds); drums of many timbres, plus marimba, violin and vocal input  on some tracks. The titles of the tunes are intriguing, such as Glass Eye; Jaws, Clarity. 
The opening tune is Matthew’s Journey, with a voice describing an ordinary journey to Gateshead by bus, to the accompaniment of a glass walking rhythm, which I found both amusing and strangely moving.  Jaws is an African drum piece and the voice on The Law Of Entrainment explains this musical law of rhythm which was laid down by a Dutch scientist in 1655. Samba Funk does what it says on the tin and Library Music Box consists of glass sounds with a voiceover listing shipping forecast areas, with drums and a repeated riff on the violin. A and R is all tribal drums and shouts and Tates Freilich features a Kletzmer violin. Other titles are Funk Masters; Maracatu and the oddly named final tune 10 Years Of Hair Growth.
Readers would be well advised to see these musicians in action if they are featured in the Late Shows next year as it’s a sheer delight to watch how the glass instruments are played.  The performance is in Gateshead Old Town Hall, and there is also drama in mime, singing, breakdancing,  and the evening is rounded off with a free finger buffet.
The CD was issued in 2015 and the Lawnmowers are available to perform at festivals and educational events.
Ann Alex
Aaron Moody, Adam Tait, Brendan Murphy, Claire Hills-Wilson, Dan Brunskill, David Champion, Debbie Bell, Graeme Thompson, Laura Baxendale, Matthew Dennis, Paul Armstrong, Robin Dunn, Scott Roe, Sophie Clarke (playing various glass instruments, drums, percussion, marimba, violin). With special thanks to Brendan Murphy, Rob Kitchen, World Beaters Music and Afro Reggae.

1 comment :

Steven T said...

Brendan Murphy cane into our kids primary school to teach music. I can still remember Francis conducting a large ensemble of 10/11 year olds, so definitely an influence.

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