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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

17719 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 39 of them this year alone and, so far, 39 this month (Jan. 15).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Wed 15: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 15: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 15: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 15: Hot Club of Heaton @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘third Wednesday in the month’ session. TBC.

Thu 16: Pete Tanton & the Cuban Heels @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 17: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ 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: Joe Steels Trio w. Graham Hardy @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £10.00. (inc. a welcome drink & table reservation). Book at: www.drinks@thepele.co.uk. A ‘Jazz at the Pele’ promotion.
Fri 17: Russ Morgan Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 17: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 18: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 18: Alter Ego + Jamie Toms/Graham Don Duo @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 18: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Repas 7 by Night, West St., Berwick TD15 1AS. 7:30pm. Free. Album launch gig.
Sat 18: Delta Prophets @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 19: Glenn Miller Orchestra UK @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 3:00pm. ‘Glenn Miller & the Rat Pack Era’.
Sun 19: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 19: Spilt Milk @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 5:15-7:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 19: Tenement Jazz Band @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 19: Nick Ross Orchestra @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm.
Sun 19: Freight Train (Tobin/Noble/Clarvis) @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 20: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 21: ???

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, June 05, 2016

The Safe Sextet (-1) @ The Jazz Co-op. June 4

Don Forbes (trumpet), John Rowland (tenor saxophone), Peter Gilligan (piano), Barry Ascroft (bass) & Russ Morgan (drums)
(Review by Russell/photo courtesy of Minnie Fraser)
The Safe Quintet. It doesn’t have the same ring to it. Four of the Safe Sextet’s regulars –  Gowland, Grainger, Law and Wight – were otherwise engaged…better offers (aka filthy lucre) and a European jazz jolly. One or two deps were drafted in…old  stager Mr Barry Ascroft (the archetypal ‘You hum it, I’ll play it’ piano player) working as a depping bass player on this gig, Safe Sextet alumnus Peter Gilligan (piano), and a half-decent depping drummer, Mr Russ Morgan.
The Globe – Jazz Co-op HQ – was open for business. The downstairs bar resembled Key Largo, not in terms of hoodlums (Edward G & co), nor the reluctant hero (Bogie), rather the numbers…an under-employed bartender and a couple of barflies. The upstairs room, the jazz room, awaited an audience. The Wylam Brewery was the hand-pull. So, Wylam Gold Tankard it was – at a sensible £3.50. a pint.
The Safe Sextet’s soundcheck received a modicum of applause. The audience arrived in ones and twos, Don Forbes & co were ready to go but not before a classic one-liner. The monitor positioned front left of Russ Morgan wasn’t playing ball. Our depping drummer couldn’t hear the piano and, as sound engineer Minnie Fraser tweaked matters technical,   Morgan quipped: Don’t worry, I don’t really want to hear him [Peter Gilligan] anyway!
Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise opened with bandleader Don Forbes going for it. Nardis, then Hocus Pocus featured old school tenor man John Rowland, Buddy Tate-style. Hang on a minute…this wasn’t Emcee 5 material, nor Stan Tracey. Matter not, the tunes were fine and the line-up dandy. The all-seated quintet played for an hour and more before the boss – trumpeter Forbes – suggested a short intermission.
A slightly longer than shorter intermission, a winning raffle ticket (!) and we were ready to go again. A good humoured bunch, the band winged it at times…grab a solo, debate a final chord, it came together well. One time Safe Sextet pianist Barry Ascroft did the job as Baz does – without any fuss, Peter Gilligan sounded great on the house upright and as drummers go, ‘first call’ can be applied to Russ Morgan. A brace of Forbes’ tunes stood comparison; Blues for the Boys, written with ‘the old place’ (25 Pink Lane) in mind  and all who played there, then Rico. Forbes couldn’t remember who Rico was, it didn’t make any difference to Morgan – what a solo! It had been a canny night. The Safe Sextet (-1) went out on Come Rain or Come Shine with a fleeting reference to Singing in the Rain in the final couple of bars.
Another fine trumpet player will be at the Jazz Co-op on Railway Street on Thursday 9th June. Ex-pat American Pete Tanton will be jetting in with his Riviera Quartet. The mode of transport could be pertinent: 'Twas on the 9th of June, 1862, on a summer’s afternoon. Roads in Newcastle city centre will be closed to traffic from 6:30pm to accommodate the several thousands of runners taking part in the Blaydon Road Race beginning at 7:15pm. The elite, the club runner and the straggler will be streaming past the Globe’s front door for the best part of an hour, so if you’re Gannin’ alang Scotswood Road be prepared for a short/long delay.  
Russell.                

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