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Bebop Spoken There

George Porter Jr.: ''To me, syncopation is like jazz. It wasn't meant for the masses. It was meant just for a hip few". (DownBeat, May 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

17985(and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 306 of them this year alone and, so far, 62 this month (April 26).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Mon 28: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 29: ???

Wed 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 30: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 30: International Jazz Day @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £16.00.; £14.00. adv.. Feat. Guido Spannocchi, John Pope & Steve Hanley + Take it to the Bridge participants + Open Mic Night participants.

MAY 2025

Thu 01: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Member’s Contribution.
Thu 01: Alabaster de Plume @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Thu 01: Living in Shadows + OUTRI @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Thu 01: The Shayo Experiment @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Shayo Oshodi & Liam Oliver.
Thu 01: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free.

Fri 02: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 02: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 02: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 02: Anna Reay & Deon Krishnan @ STACK, Seaburn. 4:30-6:15pm. Free.
Fri 02: Nauta @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 7:00pm. £7.50. A ‘Nauta’s House’ gig featuring Nauta & guests Shayo Oshodi & David Gray.
Fri 02: Spilt Milk @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 02: Dom Pipkin @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Solo piano.
Fri 02: Abbie Finn Trio @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00. + bf.

Sat 03: Hot Fingers @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 03: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £25.00. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Summer Samba Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 03: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 03: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 03: Postmodern Jukebox @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm.
Sat 03: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £3.00. + bf.
Sat 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 03: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:30pm. Free.

Sun 04: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 04: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 04: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 04: Spilt Milk @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:00-5:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 04: Rivkala @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 04: Ben Crosland Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

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

Friday, September 30, 2016

SeeNine @ Hoochie Coochie - September 29.

Stephen Wetherall (bs. gtr); Dan Butterworth (dms); Scotty Handy (keys); Ciaran Jasper (alt/ten); Esti Harrison (tpt); Adam Ashbridge (gtr). + Fabio Sousa (tmb).
(Review by Lance).
Student band and you've got 'Rent-a-Crowd'. Boy/girlfriends, course mates, coarse mates, parents, family etc. you've got the audience but, will they come back and, more importantly, will those with less filial/fraternal relationships return?
On this showing, only SeeNine's second gig, I think they will.
Admittedly a work in progress but the positive signs are there. An imaginative repertoire* which included originals, pieces by Grover Washington, Roy Hargreaves, Kenny Garrett, Herbie Hancock, and Justin Bieber  coupled with a feel for the funky idiom that they work in, suggests that, with a tweak here and a tweak there, we're going to hear a lot more of them.
Leader Wetherall knows his way around the Fender Jazz (or was it a Precision?) and he soloed authoritatively. 
Adam Ashbridge obviously has a pedigree in matters guitar. His solos blew everything away!
Ciaran Jasper floated 'twixt alto and tenor but I think it was her alto solo on the penultimate encore, Roy Hargreaves'  St. Denis,  that clinched it for me despite blowing slightly off mic.
Esti Harrison on trumpet didn't try to impress, instead, she played the heads and, when solos came up, worked within her range - something Muggsy Spanier, Miles Davis, and Chet Baker did in their formative years - welcome to the club Esti!
Dan Butterworth kicked seven shades when such a splash of colour was needed but also confined himself to fewer shades in the more delicate moments.
Pianist Scotty chorded impressively, his choreographed body movements indicating just how much he was enjoying himself. Surprised he didn't appear to take any actual solos
It was great to see such young musicians blowing so well and to have an appreciative audience.
Oh yes, I've omitted to mention Fabio Sousa!
I don't suppose there have been too many Portuguese trombone players in Newcastle over the years but, let me say that on the evidence of the two numbers he blew on, Fabio is the best Portuguese slide man I've ever heard (in Newcastle).
I invited Fabio to the Jazz Café Jam this coming Tuesday. In fact, I'd like to  see les tout ensemble dropping by!
Photos.
Lance.
*Cissy Strut; Mister Magic; Can't Feel my Face; Chameleon; 5:45; Noodle; Sing a Song of Song; How Deep is Your Love; Southwick; Sorry; Strasbourg St. Denis.

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