Bebop Spoken There

Donovan Haffner ('Best Newcomer' 2025 Parliamentary Jazz Awards): ''I got into jazz the first time I picked up a saxophone!" - Jazzwise Dec 25/Jan 26

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

18146 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 24 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 7), 24

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Thu 08: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: Jazz Milestones of 1976.

Fri 09: The House Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00.
Fri 09: Nauta @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Trio: Jacob Egglestone, Jamie Watkins, Bailey Rudd.
Fri 09: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Warren James & the Lonesome Travellers @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £15.00.
Fri 09: The Blue Kings @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £10.00. (£8.00. adv.). All-star band.

Sat 10: Mark Toomey Quintet @ St Peter’s Church, Stockton-on-Tees. 7:30pm. £12.00. (inc. pie & peas). Tickets from: 07749 255038.

Sun 11: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 12: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 12: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 13: Milne Glendinning Band @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00. Coquetdale Jazz.
Tue 13: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 14: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 14: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

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, July 03, 2016

Steve Glendinning Quartet @ The Globe - July 2.

Steve Glendinning (gtr); Chris Jelly (vbs); Mike Clarke (bs gtr); Mark Robertson (dms)
(Review by Lance)
I've got mixed emotions about this gig. Thrilled and proud to have been there, sad for those who missed it, whilst, at the same time, greeting those absentees with a fully justified "na-na-na-na-na"!
You thought you'd heard good vibes earlier this week? Man, you ain't heard nuttin' yet! Chris Jelly is to vibes playing what Mark Cavendish is to sprinting!
It began low-key with Glendinning playing an unaccompanied piece by a lutist from the court of Louis XIV, proving that jazz did begin with Louis.
So What?, you might say as the quartet segued into the Miles Davis classic from Kind of Blue. Vibes, guitar and bass answering the question punctuated by drums. This was just the start.
Next up, East of the Sun. Great song going back to the days of Sinatra with Dorsey and beyond. The quartet had used it earlier for a soundcheck and here it was in all its glory. If I never hear a better version then I will die happy!
Watch What Happens - a fast bossa nova - showed off all four before slowing down for an emotive A Time For Love.
Both Steve and Chris are lynchpins in the funky outfit known as King Bee so it was no surprise that the first set concluded with an item from that genre - Big Ship (at least I think that was the title!)
The second set began with more solo guitar before hitting the deck with either Chick Corea's Spain or Meet the Flintstones - can't remember which! What's in a name?!
A Pat Metheny number then, for me, the next number was the number 12 bus.
Superb session!
Lance.

2 comments :

Minnie Fraser (on F/b) said...

They were awesome!!!

Steven T. said...

No question, I'd have been there if I hadn't been elsewhere. The bad news is it'll no doubt be a period of time before his hands heal and he can do it again.
He's definitely one of the few, with Lord Paul and AC.
No disrespect to Steve either; a fine guitarist and a really nice lad and no 1 son was chuffed to play with him (on the Friday night after GIJF) before he toddles off. Sights now on MW.
And an Ornette Coleman thing at the Bridge tonight! Ever get the feeling you've been stitched up?

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