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Bebop Spoken There

Sullivan Fortner: ''I always judge it by the bass player: If the bass player is happy, it's going to be a good night". (DownBeat, February 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

17777 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 98 of them this year alone and, so far, 23 this month (Feb.8).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Sun 09: The New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 09: Glenn Miller & Big Band Spectacular @ The Forum, Billingham. 3:00pm.
Sun 09: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Tom Remon & Mark Williams @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 09: Rod Oughton’s Tomorrow’s New Quartet with Ben van Helder @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Line-up inc. Deschanel Gordon.
Sun 09: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 10: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 11: Steve Summers Quintet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm.

Wed 12: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Jam session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 12: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 13: Student Performances @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 4:00pm. Free. Inc. Olly Styles (tenor sax).
Thu 13: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: Artist Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Hannabiell & Midnight Blue.
Thu 13: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 14: John Rowland Trio @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 12:30-1:30pm. £5.00. at the door. New second Friday in the month concert series.
Fri 14: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 14: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 14: Archipelago + Anna Tempest @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £8.00.
Fri 14: Paul Jones & Dave Kelly @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. Rhythm & blues.
Fri 14: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Fri 14: Jazz Sabbath @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 15: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 15: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 15: Elkie Brooks @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. ‘The Long Farewell Tour’.
Sat 15: Milne Glendinning Band @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

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, October 02, 2016

Alice Grace Quartet @ Ushaw College, Durham - September 29

Alice Grace (voice), Peter Gilligan (piano), Paul Grainger (bass), Russ Morgan (drums). 
(Review by Steve T).
A cold, dark night at Ushaw, no students around in Durham ‘til next weekend and the numbers were down on what we've come to expect for this most sumptuous of venues, with quite a few regulars missing and attendance hovering just under thirty.
No reflection on the band, Alice Grace is exactly the sort of thing the regulars soak up, a great singer with a swinging band, and a well thought out mix of classic, cult and contemporary.
Contemporary to open and an original, Lullaby on/of Broadway - is there really not a standard with this title? The lady seemed uncharacteristically nervous but settled in during the first of much scatting through the night, and little wonder, she's masterful (or is it mistressful?) at it.
This was followed by Windows by Corea/Grace, the Rodgers and Hammerstein of Transatlantic Jazz, and look out for a forthcoming recording of it, presumably part of an EP or an album. After a piano/ vocal intro there was some fabulous interaction between the two before she closed the number with some lovely adlibbing. In fact Gilly - does he mind if I call him Gilly? - proved an excellent foil for the singer on every piece and the show has almost become a double act, with bass and drums happy to stay back but never putting a finger or thumb, sticks, hands or feet wrong throughout.
Something called Invitation followed by Love Dance as interpreted by Streisand and surprisingly only a couple of takers when she asked if the audience were into Babs. Even I think she's a fantastic singer.
I'm beginning to see the Light closed the first set, featuring fours between scat and drums, and by now applause had risen to raucous, with cheering, yelps and whoops.
Set two opened with the first of two Kenny Wheeler originals, this one with lyrics by Norma Winstone and a duet between Alice and Gilly called Winter Sweet.
Alone Together found Russ playing toms with his hands and hi-hat and I've gushed about this in these pages before, switching it up with sticks for Gillys' solo and a first bass solo of the night, which was characteristically tasteful and welcome.
Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea next and a wager between me and my far better half whether she'd go Kylie or Steps. Stalemate as she went Ella, in hindsight unsurprisingly given her obvious scatting skills, and the piece ended with her exchanging scat with piano, then bass, then drums.
Before the next song she confessed to loving a bit of scatting cos we were all thinking she wasn't very good at remembering lyrics. The Gentle Rain to end before the compere asked for an encore and she gave us The Sky is There by Lars Johnson with lyrics by the lady herself. Hi-hat and walking bass-line behind the voice and Gilly’s entrance after a couple of verses propelled her into the greatest joyfulness I've ever heard from her voice.
I hope she makes a return to Ushaw when all the regulars are around and a few students and university types take it back to capacity; she deserves it and they deserve it.
Steve T.

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