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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, April 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

17945 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 266 of them this year alone and, so far, 22 this month (April 8).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Mon 14: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 14: Zoë Gilby Quintet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 15: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 16: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 16: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 16: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED!

Thu 17: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Only Six Standards.
Thu 17: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 18: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 18: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 18: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.

Fri 18: Alexia Gardner @ Fika Gallery, Oldgate, Morpeth NE61 1LT. 7:00pm. Trio (Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy).RESCHEDULED FOR JUNE 13

Fri 18: Sarah Jane Morris & Tony Remy: The Sisterhood @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £25.00.

Sat 19: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-3:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 19: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 19: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 20: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 20: Salty Dog @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 20: Spilt Milk @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 20: Tweed River Jazz Band @ The Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 20: C.A.L.I.E @ 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

Thursday, November 10, 2016

Mike Durham’s Classic Jazz Party @ The Village Hotel. Nov 5, evening.

(Review by Russell/photo from Patti’s f/b page)
Bonfire night. Fireworks in the sky, would there be fireworks in the Inspiration Suite? A new departure for the Classic Jazz Party presented a jazz treatment of Greig’s Peer Gynt suite. German reedsman Claus Jacobi arrived on North Tyneside with a briefcase full of arrangements for Music of the Fjords. Swede Jacob Ullberger, guitar, and Norwegians Lars Frank, reeds, and Morten Gunnar Larsen, piano were in on it, so too, Robert Fowler, bass saxophone, ‘bone man Graham Hughes and percussion master Josh Duffee (seen here with 'jazz maniac' EmRah.).

 Claus Jacobi returned to the stage to co-present Jazz in Los Angeles with Keith Nichols. Their programme explored the music of West Coast-based musicians, composers and (in the case of the Spikes brothers), music publishers, many of whom worked as Hollywood studio staff musicians. An informative, potted history of the period referenced Alex Hill, Paul Howard’s Quality Serenaders (Howard employed a promising Lionel Hampton and Lawrence Brown) and Louis Armstrong. Trumpeters Andy Schumm and Enrico Tomasso featured, Jean-François Bonnel lounged studiously in the reeds alongside the consistently good Richard Exall and the region’s star performers – Emma Fisk and Phil Rutherford – contributed to a fascinating set. Thunderous applause greeted Tomasso’s spirited ‘Louis’ trumpet and vocal finale on Shine.

A small group session reunited vocalists Mellow Baku and Janice Day. Songbirds heard first one, then the other, working with the fine trio of Martin Litton, piano, Malcolm Sked playing double bass and drummer Richard Pite in swing mode. Baku selected Skylark and many others including How High the Moon?, Stormy Weather and, with pianist Litton as accompanist, presented a magnificent reading of Come Sunday. Janice Day sang about a Blue Moon, La Vien Rose and that Old Devil Moon. Ms Baku and Ms Day concluded a most entertaining set singing about a honky tonk parade – it’s only a Paper Moon, don’t you know?

The Don Redman Orchestra assembled on stage for the closing set. There wasn’t a seat to be had in the concert hall as Josh Duffee’s all star band played Redman’s arrangements for Fletcher Henderson, McKinney’s Cotton Pickers and his own band of the 1930s. The trumpet section (Daams, Heitger and Tomasso) and the reeds (Bonnel, Frank and Fowler) had their hands full dealing with the music, eyes trained on the dots, this was something special! Piano, bass and drums (Boeddinghaus, Lemaire and Duffee) worked their socks off, similarly genial Jim Fryer, trombone, and guitarist Jacob Ullberger, hidden away in the depths of the engine room. Fryer sang How’m I Doin’, Keith Nichols joined the boys to sing Gee, Baby, A’int I Good to You? and there was Redman’s signature Chant of the Weed. Robert Fowler and Jean-François Bonnel engaged in a muscular tenor chase finale on Redman’s 1953 (positively modern!) For Europeans Only. The set of the day! Those with the stamina retired to the bar for another late night jam session.                                             

1 comment :

Anonymous said...

How'm I doin', twee twee twee, twa twa! I'm just about back to earth after this heavenly jazzy weekend - and already starting planning for next year's! Thank you, Russell, for the write ups - and Lance, as always, for his great blog!

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