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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.

Sun 13: Daniel John Martin with Swing Manouche @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 13: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 13: Hejira: A Celebration of Joni Mitchell @ Wylam Brewery, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £22.50.
Sun 13: Wilkinson/Edwards/Noble + Chojnacki @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £13.20., £11.00. JNE.

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.

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

Monday, January 23, 2017

Budtet @ The Globe Jazz Bar - January 21

Stuart Finden (tenor sax), Fiona Finden (vocal, soprano sax), Jude Murphy (vocal, alto sax), Lin Lee Wong (piano), Jim Crinson (bass), Eric Stutt (drums).+ Dave Weisser (cornet/vocal).
(Review by Steve T/photos courtesy of Stu Finden). 
If Friday night was about 'serious' Jazz, tonight's Jazz Coop gig was about having fun. That's not intended as a derogatory statement, alongside the standard quintet, imbibing and Chinese food, having fun is one of my favourite things.
The  Message and Stu’s Bloos led to Four on Sixa Wes Montgomery piece with lyrics by Fiona Finden, who sang and played un-straightened soprano sax.

Jude introduced Like Someone in Love as having a theatrical intro which she played to the max throughout the song. Move over Liza Minnelli.
Corcovado was followed by Teaneck which led to an exchange in the band as to whether it was written by Nat or Cannonball. The brothers, alongside Ellington/Strayhorn and Davis/Evans (Bill), are often the subject of this type of discussion. My copy of Mercy Mercy Mercy says it's by Cannonball Adderley, not Joe Zawinul. I can see a time when SinAtra never made a record and Elvis only made one, or two halves. Lance and I have both claimed recently, it's not just the song but what the artist does with it.
Mr PC closed side one and another saxophonist with JC all over his sleeves.
Once more we got added lyrics with the saxy ladies harmonising well together, but they stuck with Paul Chambers rather than transferring them to their own bass player.
Side two opened with more lyrics added to a classic which, as a track from Jazz' very own(ly) sacred cow - Kind of Blue - may or may not be sacrilegious. Many of the audience of just under thirty, which is a good number for the size of the venue, were friends of members of the band, especially the seriously impressive pianist, and it was fascinating and quite encouraging to see people who didn't appear to be Jazz folk, clearly well versed in that album. Jude switched to flute which I've never heard on All Blues, gradually introducing the vocalising technique Jethro Tull’s Ian Anderson stole from Roland Kirk and she duly ended the piece on one leg, which I'm sure she didn't even notice.
One Note Samba, I Fall in Love too Easily, Groovin High and Secret Love before Dave Weisser joined them for Yardbird Suite and Take the A Train, adding muted trumpet and some seriously impressive singing.
Rather more vocals added to classics than I would play at home, but each of the singers acquitted themselves well. If Jude was Liza Minnelli, Fiona was Doris Day but, if she lacked the grain of the great soul singers, she displayed the fragility and vulnerability of the best ones.
How often do you get Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis and John Coltrane in a single night? 

Steve T.

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