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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

17923 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 244 of them this year alone and, so far, 91 this month (March 31).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Tue 01: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Mark Robertson.
Tue 01: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, North St., Ferryhill DL17 8HX. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 02: Lauren Bush: The Jazz Singer’s Toolkit @ The Pele, Corbridge. 1:00-4:00pm. Vocalist Lauren Bush with pianist Jamil Sheriff presents a jazz singing workshop. £40.00. (inc. evening concert, see below). Registration required for workshop: www.laurenbushjazz.com. All ability levels welcome.
Wed 02: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 02: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 2:30-4:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Wed 02: Lauren Bush & Jamil Sheriff @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00-9:00pm. £10.00. Concert performance. Tickets: www.laurenbushjazz.com.
Wed 02: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 02: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE! See website for updates: www.theglobenewcastle.bar.

Thu 03: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Women in Jazz.
Thu 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 03: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. A Tees Hot Club promotion. First Thursday in the month.

Fri 04: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 04: Ruth Lambert Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Fri 04: Tom McGuire & the Brassholes @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00.
Fri 04: Nicolas Meier’s Infinity Group + Spirit of Jeff Beck @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm.

Sat 05: Tenement Jazz Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 05: Sleep Suppressor @ Head of Steam, Newcastle. 5:30-6:00pm.
Sat 05: King Bees @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Raymond MacDonald & Jer Reid @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 6:00-9:30pm. £7.72., £1.00. (minimum donation). MacDonald & Reid + Objections + Yotuns.
Sat 05: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Kamasi Washington @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £33.00.
Sat 05: Vermont Big Band @ The Seahorse, Whitley Bay. 7:30pm. Tickets: £10.00 (from the venue).
Sat 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 06: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 06: Learning & Participation Showcase @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm (1:00pm doors). Free. Featuring participants from Play More Jazz! Play More Folk! Blue Jam Singers & more.
Sun 06: Joe Steels Group @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Ferg Kilsby, Joe Steels, Ben Lawrence, Paul Susans, John Hirst.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Hooch, Quayside, Newcastle. 6:00pm.
Sun 06: Leeway @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 07: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

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, January 24, 2017

Going Dutch @ The Lit & Phil (afternoon session) - January 22

(Review/photos courtesy of Ken Drew)
The expectations of this Dutch All-Dayer had been well and truly set the previous evening at the Jazz Café – what a Taster that was!
Now for the programme proper.  The format ran as 3 sets, each with one established group of players preceded by a new grouping.


2pm:  Oli Brice on bassJohn Dikeman on saxOnno Govaert on drums.  Dikeman was 'leading' but Brice and Govaert stuck to his heels and followed unrelentingly to the end.  Dikeman was certainly on form and overall it was a HUGE sound and a great opener.

2:20-3:00 Ab Baars on reedsWilbert de Joode on bassMartin van Duynhoven on drums. A quieter journey, again 'led' by the sax although this time there were music stands (and therefor some pre-arranged pieces) involved. The first piece lasted just a few minutes of very thoughtful and dynamic playing, but provided an excellent introduction for what was to follow. Baars moving from sax to clarinet lowering the pace even more.  Good use of the space for some quite dramatic silences, and crashes from van Duynhoven. This was inspired by Messiaen's musical fantasy of sonority - mostly birdsong, but maybe there was a hint of Rhapsody in Blue (to my ears!) but overall some very thrilling, dynamic and thoughtful playing, each player reading each other perfectly. One piece in particular was very quiet but all the more sonically interesting for it. The audience appreciated it all. 

3:15pm:  Reinier Baas - guitar solo.  Mesmeric, rhythmic, flowing and shimmering sounds - hints of John Renbourne and Gordon Giltrap (to name two non-jazz guitarists, for some of the playing techniques displayed) coupled with a generally subtle use of pedals. A very unique sound built on many techniques and simple use of a few pedals on the floor (apart from a short spell of over-use of the volume pedal at one point, tending to excess). The left hand chord fingering was a joy to watch, including the creation of harmonics from Reinier's right hand plucking & hammering the strings.  Towards the end de Joode joined in for a short lively piece - as if chasing each other!

3:40-4:15 "Feecho" - Kaya Draksler on grand piano and Onno Govaert on drums. A very long piece, reminiscent of Messiaen and Schnittke etc.  A wonderful duet, with beautiful playing and interpretation on the piano concluding with Messiaen flavours, including a perfect combination of low-end notes blended with high-end notes trembling then diminishing to quietness.
A joy to behold!

4:30: Oli Brice on bassFaye MacCalman on reedsWilbert de Joode on bass. Two Bass's plus sax!! Ok, so we'd had a brief insight into this at the Caff the night before. Starting with both basses, quickly bringing out rich harmonics from each.  MacCalman soon joining in with clarinet, diving in and out of the two complementary basses - bird-like effects and more. A free piece, yet well-structured in its delivery, with very nice interplay between all three. The second, shorter piece, was more frenetic and intense, and hung together well.

4:55-5:30: Ab Baars on reedsIg Henneman on viola.  Viola-with-clarinet, dancing around and following each other in a myriad of rhythms and exploring many sonic avenues. The second piece (around a Frank Schubert piece) saw viola now with sax from Baars much more pronounced and frantic, slowing to a meandering theme in the viola. Finally it is rudely joined by the sax providing a new theme, almost anthemic.  An odd (maybe?) but certainly workable collaboration but overall, quite delicate throughout.  The final piece saw Baars wield a bass recorder (?) but maybe a more compatible pairing of instruments for this style of music.  A nice combination.

And so ended the afternoon session. It was noted by many that the programme timing was very good through the day. Both for the start of the day, throughout the session, and at the end! Not sure if this was a Dutch effect or just a concerted improvement over last year’s All-Dayer.  The format was simple and worked really well - the first group of each set was allocated 20 minutes, yet despite the shortness of these, each group gave it their all and delivered quite exhilarating pieces whether short or long.
Ab Baars (reeds); Reinier Baas (guitar); Olie Brice (bass); Wilbert de Joode (bass); John Dikeman (sax); Kaja Draksler (piano); Onno Govaerts (drums); Ig Henneman (viola); Faye MacCalman (reeds); Jasper Stadhouders (guitar); Martin van Duynhoven (drums).

Ken Drew

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