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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, April 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

17945 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 266 of them this year alone and, so far, 22 this month (April 8).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Fri 11: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 11: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 11: John Rowland Trio: The Music of Ben Webster @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Rowland (tenor sax); Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass).
Fri 11: Imelda May @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 11: Shunyata Improvisation Group @ Cullercoats Watch House. 7:30-9:00pm. Free (donations).

Sat 12: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 12: Rob Heron & the Tea Pad Orchestra + House of the Black Gardenia + King Bees @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 6:30pm (doors). £18.00.
Sat 12: Bright Street Big Band @ Washington Arts Centre. 6:30pm. £12.00. Event includes swing dance taster session, DJ dance session. Bright Street Big Band on stage 7:30-8:15pm & 8:45-9:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Sat 12: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 12: Imelda May @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £42.20. SOLD OUT!
Sat 12: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 13: Daniel John Martin with Swing Manouche @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 13: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 13: Hejira: A Celebration of Joni Mitchell @ Wylam Brewery, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £22.50.
Sun 13: Wilkinson/Edwards/Noble + Chojnacki @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £13.20., £11.00. JNE.

Mon 14: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 14: Zoë Gilby Quintet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 15: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 16: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 16: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 16: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED!

Thu 17: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Only Six Standards.
Thu 17: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. 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

Friday, June 17, 2016

CD Review: Mac Gollehon & The Hispanic Mechanics

(Review by Steve T)
This is Mac Gollehon’s ninth album as a leader, but his list of guest credits is a veritable who's who of pop and disco, from the mildly impressive Chic and Rick James to the not at all impressive (to these ears): Duran Duran, Blondie and Mick Jagger. There's also a number of Latin artists, none of whom I've heard of and he's worked with a good Bowie and another, but I'll leave the reader guessing who they are and which is which.
The music is described as 'ground-breaking...a uniquely fresh and innovative...mix of jazz, blues and funk' but should also add hip-hop, Afro-beat, Latin, and soca, and expand on the term Jazz.
Everything seems thrown at the first track which ends up a mess with the second track even worse, but stick with it and track three delivers a coherent sound at last, his trumpet leading something reminiscent of seventies Jazz Funk just before its collapse into smooth Jazz, but with elements of hip hop, a recurring theme and one of the most effective in its understatement; no lengthy, bad taste raps here.
Elegancia is vintage Roy Ayers, complete with sampling, and there's even some scratching on Obscuridad but Amor Tragico is a Euro pop too far and an album low.
I'm not sure what the point is of an alternative version of the opening track but there's a fine closer featuring muted horn, which brings the whole thing back to you know who - well he is a trumpet player - giving a sense that late Miles Doo Bop via Tutu has been underpinning the whole thing.
The album opener makes more sense on second play as a kind of statement of intent, but some may find the albums' claim of a 'successful marriage of styles' more a weakness, with diluted versions of its various parts spread too thin. Overall it feels like a compilation album although compilations generally have more stylistic consistency, but there's some good music to be found and it's fun for all the family.
Currently available on True Groove Records.
Steve T.
Mac Gollehon, Tomás Doncker (Elegancia), Tina Torres, Miguel Valdez, Josh David (vocals); Mac Gollehon (Trumpet & Trombone); Miguel Valdez, Baba Don, Ronnie Roc (Percussion); Mike Griot (Bass); Tomás Doncker (Guitars); Afrikan Sciences (Eric Porter) (DJ).

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