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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.

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 + SH#RP Collective with Lindsay Hannon - open rehearsal.

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: Struggle Buggy @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Blues.
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: Boys of Brass @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free.
Sun 04: Ben Crosland Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 05: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 05: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 06: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Victoria & Albert Inn, Seaton Delaval. 12:30pm. £14.00. Tel: 0191 237 3697. ‘Victory in Europe Afternoon Tea’ (VE Day 80th anniversary).
Tue 06: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law, Paul Grainger, John Hirst.
Tue 06: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, North St., Ferryhill DL17 8HX. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 06: FILM: Whiplash @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. 8:15pm.

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

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

In Other Words @ Prohibition Bar, Gateshead. November 12

Alex Thompson (alto saxophone & clarinet), Nathan Lawson (guitar) & Dylan Thompson (drums)
(Review by Russell/Photo courtesy of Keith Thompson)
Saturday, Prohibition Bar, Gateshead. Sold out. A fundraising concert organised by Alex Thompson to help him raise funds to make the trip of a lifetime to India in July next year when he will be digging wells, building classrooms and making many lifelong friends in doing so. Alex, 16, plays alto saxophone and clarinet in Paraffernalia, Gateshead schools’ big band. Alex was joined on the gig by younger brother Dylan on drums and their friend Nathan Lawson, guitar. They call themselves In Other Words.
Song for My Father, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Mercy, Mercy, Mercy, Bernie’s Tune, Come Fly with Me, Cry Me a River – and this just a selection from the first few tunes! These young men have assembled a pad of gigantic proportions and it continues to grow apace. Dylan, drum kit set-up on the small stage area behind the front line, looked the business in casual (no tie) jacket, Alex and Nathan seated out front, t-shirt order. Alex’s alto work indicated a firm grasp of the melody in question and Nathan’s rhythmic support impressed time and again, the bass lines particularly effective. At the back, Dylan, 14, played in the groove, a real prospect is D Thompson. Alex played some clarinet; Fats’ Ain’t Misbehavin’ and Do You Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans? the first of two numbers on his other, or ‘second’ instrument.

The audience, including David Blakey (Paraffernalia’s MD), listened intently, supporting three musicians of tomorrow. Drummer Dylan excelled on Jaco’s The Chicken, Nathan’s guitar intro set-up Fly Me to the Moon to which we all knew the lyrics…In Other Words! Their first set – one hour and ten minutes – couldn’t have gone much better.

Prohibition Bar’s proprietor has worked hard to make the Brandling Street speakeasy the successful venture it has become, the atmosphere made for the occasion. The trio stepped off the stage to take a well-earned break, mingling with family and friends. Young Dylan Thompson took charge of the raffle – is there no end to the young man’s talents?!

The second set opened with some good alto from Alex on All the Things You Are and the trio followed up with a spirited take on Scrapple from the Apple. They took a Slow Boat to China, insisted It Don’t Mean a Thing (they’ve got it!) with a fun round of fours, and Alex’s fluent alto on Bye Bye Blackbird caught the ear. How about Minor Swing? And a grooving Chameleon? The Zutons’ Valerie made it onto the set-list, not exactly the GAS book, but why not? It’s a good tune. The trio, Alex, Nathan and Dylan, 16, 15 and 14 had to be dragged off stage some one hour and twenty minutes later. They were having fun. A third set of tunes wouldn’t have been a problem. In Other Words said good night with the Sonny Rollins’ feel-good number St Thomas. A thoroughly entertaining evening, there is no doubt whatsoever that we will be hearing more from Alex, Nathan and Dylan.
YouTube clip.
Russell.
If you would like to know more about Alex Thompson’s World Challenge expedition, in the first instance please contact Bebop Spoken Here

1 comment :

Anonymous said...

Hi Nathan's mam here, thankyou for coming and reviewing In Other Words it's good to hear they are going in the right direction. Nathan would like to be as good as his mentor one day, James Birkett.

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