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Bebop Spoken There

Steve Coleman: ''If you don't keep learning, your mind slows down. Use it or lose it''. (DownBeat, January 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

17733 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 53 of them this year alone and, so far, 53 this month (Jan. 20).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Wed 22: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 22: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 22: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 22: Pasadena Roof Orchestra @ Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm.

Thu 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free. Fortnightly.
Thu 23: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Obituaries 2024.
Thu 23: Jason Isaacs @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:30-6:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Thu 23: Pedal Point Trio @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 24: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Creakin’ Bones & the Sunday Dinners @ Lindisfarne Social Club, Wallsend. 9:00pm. Admission: TBC. Jazz, blues , jump jive, rock ‘n’ roll.

Sat 25: Boys of Brass @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:30-5:30pm. Free.
Sat 25: New '58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson's Wharf, Hartlepool. 6:30pm (doors). Free. A Burns' Night event. Jazz, swing, funk, soul, blues etc.
Sat 25: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 25: Red Kites Jazz @ Parish Hall, St Barnabas’ Church, Rowlands Gill. 7:30pm. £10.00. BYOB (tea & coffee available), raffle. Proceeds to St Barnabas’ Church. Performance feat. Shayo (vocals).
Sat 25: Jack & Jay’s Songbook @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Graham Hardy Eclectic Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 26: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 26: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:30pm. Free.
Sun 26: Gratkowski, Tramontana, Beresford, Affifi @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.
Sun 26: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 27: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 28: ???

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Thu 30: Matters Unknown (aka Jonathan Enser, Nubiyan Twist) + support TBA @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £12.22 (gig & food); £9:04 (gig only).
Thu 30: Soznak @ The Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 30: Struggle Buggy @ Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Rhythm & blues.

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 20, 2016

Strictly Smokin' Big Band @ Hoochie Coochie - June 19

(Review by Lance)
It's been a week for big bands - CHBB; DUBB; TVBB. It's also been a good week for singers - Ruth Lambert;; Clare Teal and three helpings of Alice Grace. Yesterday afternoon/early evening saw the best of both worlds - Lindsay Hannon and the oddly named F'reez with SSBB at Hoochie Coochie. Surprisingly, the room wasn't packed to capacity - had 'the beautiful game' struck again? Nevertheless, the crowd that was there (in a smaller venue it would have been wall to wall sardines) showed their appreciation to the full after three great sets.
Impossible to list every number - there were at least 25 - in fact, such was the standard, equally impossible to pick  just one above the rest.
In the absence of Paul Gowland, Jamie Toms and Dave Kerridge took the tenor solos and they both performed with great aplomb. Steve Summers and Keith Robinson seared on alto with the former also featured on soprano and the latter on flute. Even Laurie Rangecroft got in on the act with some gutsy baritone.
Pete Tanton AKA 'The Everywhere Man' continued his fine form from the night before with Alter Ego and Leader Lamb also pressed the right valves - Robinson acted as 'Straw Boss' during the leader's solos.
The rhythm section would have done justice to Basie as indeed they did in Basically Blues with Graham Don featured.
Lindsay, as always brings her own bread to the table and I doubt if anyone, anywhere has sung That Old Black Magic better than Lindsay did yesterday!
Not to be outdone F'reez also reached the Higher Ground with his take on the Stevie Wonder classic as well taking us to The Sands in Las Vegas for the Sinatra/Basie version of Fly Me to the Moon - as if we weren't already there!
Apologies for not mentioning each and everyone such as the trombones (who took the solos?), Pawel's guitar solos and the solid partnership 'twixt Whent and Swinton.
They're back at Hoochie in September with a special guest ...
Photos.
Lance.
Steve Summers, Keith Robinson (alt); Dave Kerridge , Jamie Toms (ten); Laurie Rangecroft (bar); Gordon Marshall, Michael Lamb (MD), Pete Tanton, Dick Stacey (tpt); Mark Ferris, Kieran Parnaby, Robert Perry, Chris Gurgi-Smith (tmb); Graham Don (pno); Pawel Jedrzejewski (gtr); Michael Whent (bs); Guy Swinton (dms); Lindsay Hannon & F'reez (vocals).

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