Total Pageviews

Bebop Spoken There

Van Morrison: ''Basically, I'm coming from jazz. Not pop, not rock, not what's commercial. That's where I started, and that's still where I am. I feel the same as I did when I was listening to Louis Armstrong, Lead Belly, Jelly Roll Morton''. (The Northern Echo, 12 June 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

1803759 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 480 of them this year alone and, so far, 58 this month (June 18).

From This Moment On ...

JUNE 2025

Sat 21: Jason Holcomb Jazz Ensemble @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 5:30-7:30pm. Free. A 'Sunderland Year of Music' event.
Sat 21: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 21: Red Kites Jazz @ Staithes Café, Dunston. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Sat 21: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 22: Phoenix 4 @ Wallington, Northumberland. 12 noon-1:00pm & 2:00-3:00pm. Tel: 01670 773606. National Trust admission prices apply. ‘Tunes in the Blooms’.
Sun 22: Lapwing Trio @ Wallington, Northumberland. 1:00-2:00pm. Tel: 01670 773606. National Trust admission prices apply. ‘Tunes in the Blooms’.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Jason Isaacs Trio @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 4:00pm. £18.00. + £1.08 bf.
Sun 22: JazzMain @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 23: MSK Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance.
Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club (1:00pm). Free.

Tues 24: ???

Wed 25: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 25: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 25: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 25: The Magpies of Swing @ The Roxy, Leadgate, Co. Durham. 7:30pm. A Ginger Jitterbugs swing dance event, all welcome.

Thu 26: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Brass Instruments & the use of mutes.

Fri 27: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm.
Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 27: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 8:00pm. ‘Time After Time’.

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, July 25, 2016

Blue Jazz Sextet @ The Globe Jazz Bar, Newcastle – July 23

Karen Rann (soprano sax); Jeff Smith (tenor sax}; Keith Barrett (guitar); George Anyfantis (piano); Dave Parker (bass); Peter Ninnim (drums).
(Review by Steve T/photos by Debra M)
It would have been better if I could have written this up before what happened next, cos it now seems an awful lot has happened since.
It was a happy accident I was there at all, bluesman Lucky Peterson was at Sage Gateshead but not until 10.30 so a sextet at the Globe, HQ of the Jazz Coop, was a welcome stroke of luck. I arrived at 9.00 thinking I would get the first set and knowing I would have to leave around 10.00 only to be told it had started at 8.30.
Skylark, as I arrived, before Secret Love upped the tempo, some serious feedback causing some amusement among the band; and good to see musicians not taking themselves too seriously.
I counted twenty-eight in the room and maybe a few outside but somebody else counted thirty-five, so one of us (probably me) needs some maths revision. Whatever, the place was busy with people having a thoroughly good time and slightly more women than men, which is always a good thing since I'm afraid, we do take ourselves oh so seriously sometimes.
Karen Rann, nominal leader for the night, dedicated the next song to all mothers everywhere, but especially to her own who has just gone into a home due to dementia, earning sincere applause. 
Then either me or her (and probably me) had a moment as she introduced it as 'Jean' standing in for Alice in Wonderland  but I'm sure they played Some Day my Prince will Come without me noticing! It's from Sleeping Beauty - isn't it? Any pearls anyone?  
Karen introduced East of the Sun, identified by Peter Hemy, my neighbour on the barstools, as Sinatra with Tommy Dorsey and Everything Happens to me by Matt Dennis on the flipside of the 78. A little context from our elders helps enrich these nights and our lives.
Bubbly throughout, dancing away, her glasses on and off for sight reading, and totally comfortable doing the announcements, she encouraged everyone to fill their glasses during the interval as the band mingled with the audience, many clearly their friends and no bad thing either; some feet in the door who realise Jazz isn't inaccessible and stuffy. It's also strange when people don't know to applaud solos as those who do get frustrated and demonstrative, myself included.
Set Two opened with Scrapple from the Applea real toughie with solos on tenor, soprano, piano and bass, the pianist depping for the evening, bringing some great Monkisms before letting loose.
Time to go, but I wasn't going to leave during Blue Tranestarting with just soprano and piano, some uncomfortable harmonising between the saxes ‘til they got it together when it started kicking, the tenor player un-phased by the task, the understated guitar bursting from behind the piano with a fine solo, and it ended back where it began, with just soprano and piano.
I wished I could stay, wished I'd got there sooner, wished I could have a drink, but it was time to go. 
Steve T

3 comments :

Lance said...

Someday My Prince is from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
Alice in Wonderland is from - wait for it - Alice in Wonderland. The two tunes do have a similar feel both being in 3/4.

Dave Parker said...

Thanks for review Steve. The final count was 40 tickets sold. It was Alice in Wonderland but the tune is quite similar to Someday my Prince will Come.

Steven T said...

I wonder what it is number 1 son has been learning. Maybe I should ask him. Mm, he's 18, maybe not.
40's terrific.

Blog Archive