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Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: '' A Love Supreme coincided with my search for meaning in life". (DownBeat, March 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

17873 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 194 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (March 14).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30pm-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 22: Swamp Stomp String Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Sat 22: Rivkala @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sun 23: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 23: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Mississippi MacDonald @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. Blues.
Sun 23: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: The Great Deceivers @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Tom Atkinson & co play King Crimson (1969-1974). Atkinson (guitar); Josh Bentham (alto sax); Stu Dawson (bass); Jeff Armstrong (drums).

Mon 24: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 24: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 25: Fred Wesley & the New JB’s @ The Cluny. 7:30pm (doors). £27.50. POSTPONED! New date Wednesday 26 November.

Wed 26: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 26: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 26: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 27: Hannabiell & Midnight Blue @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 27: Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Superb blues duo.

Fri 28: Giles Strong Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00 SOLD OUT!.
Fri 28: Spilt Milk @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £8.00.
Fri 28: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Old Cinema Laundrette, Durham. 7:45pm.
Fri 28: Sue Ferris Quintet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £10.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 28: Mostly Moonlight @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Fri 28: Juliana Day & Manon McCoy @ Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00.; £10.00. advance. JNE.

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

Saturday, September 17, 2016

Nigel Price Trio + Early Bird Band @ Jazz Café - September 16










Nigel Price (gtr); Ross Stanley (Hammond); Steve Brown (dms).
(Review by Lance/Photos courtesy of Mike Tilley)
Smokin' is the expression frequently used to describe organ based trios and, as such, it was no surprise that on a previous northeast gig (Ushaw College Jazz Festival) the fire alarm went off. Tonight wasn't a four-alarm alert but the atmosphere was certainly incendiary as the three guys lit the blue touch paper.
Over the years I've heard Barney Kessel, Herb Ellis, Jim Hall, Charlie Byrd, Tal Farlow, John McLaughlin, Martin Taylor, Alvin Lee and many other names - include Nigel Price on that Roll of Honour.
He was phenomenal! Irrespective of mood or tempo Price was in there exploring, creating, interpreting, an absolute delight.
Opening up with Wes Montgomery's Jingles, the groove was in. Loverman as a bossa led to Who Can I Turn to? A question I asked myself, sitting as I was between two delightful ladies. However, it was hypothetical as one left before me and the other left after me! Back to the music. The Anthony Newley song had a beautiful unaccompanied guitar intro before going into a nice easy swing. Angel Eyes practically brought tears to my eyes such was the execution of this saddest of songs.
The set ended with This Could be the Start of Something Big and it certainly was! 
So far I've only mentioned Price but the contribution of Ross Stanley on Hammond and Leslie was awesome. His approach, more subtle and restrained in comparision to some of the wilder double manual merchants who dance on the pedals and deliver forearm smashes to the keyboard, gelled perfectly with the guitar. Matt Home couldn't make this gig so who replaced him? Only Steve Brown! Him of the permanent smile and the prodigious technique - a British jazz legend.
Roll on Set Two!
Back in the 1930's Coleman Hawkins set down the benchmark for Body and Soul. Now, almost 80 years later the bar has been raised!
A long intro by Price took us on a fantastic journey - totally solo and without a safety net. This was a master painter - Django Rembrandt - at work. It couldn't get any better than this - or could it?
Yes!
Stanley and Brown slipped onto their respective bench and throne. We'd had the body now we got the soul as the tempo lifted. They soloed, they swung, they exchanged fours. Composer Johnny Green didn't turn over in his grave - I bet he got up and danced! 
There was more. Indian Summer, Wes' Four on Six (played as six on four!) Prelude to a Kiss (arguably Duke's most sensual ballad) and a rocking blues to finish that featured Steve Brown. Phew! There may have been an encore but I had a bus to catch - or did I float home on a cloud?
The evening began with the Early Bird Band, Paul Edis' young proteges who continue to develop. Indeed the rhythm section are pretty close to pro standard and didn't seem overawed by the headliners who were to follow. Without maestro Edis waving his imaginary baton the horns were a little hesitant at times but grew in confidence as the set unfolded. It may still be a work in progress but that progress is apparent upon every gig.
 James Metcalf, Ben Lawrence (tpts);  Andrew Hodges (tmb); Nick Caughey (ten); Philip Grobe (pno); Francis D. Tulip (gtr); Dan Lawrence (bs gtr); Matthew MacKellar (dms).
Lance.

1 comment :

Steven T said...

Pleased to see Francis acquitted himself well on his final North East gig as a North East resident. He has had consistency lapses in the past; he's never poor but he isn't always on fire. Last night he maybe wasn't on fire, but he was on form.
Dan and Whiplash don't have consistency issues and Dans' enthusiasm will be a miss.
Dr Phil proved an excellent foil for Francis, giving him all the space he needed and I'm always surprised by his solos. Between Lord Paul and the Dr, the next guitarist couldn't be in better hands. I can't wait for their next gig.
In defence of the horns, while all of the rhythm section are hoping for careers in music, some horns are, some aren't and some are undecided. OK I over-egged the sums. I thought James, one of the youngest in the band, was great doing the intros. People always think nervous makes poor but nervous makes human.
And what a power-house turn the Nigel Price Trio are. Best live band in the land? No. 1 son speculated.

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