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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

17755 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 76 of them this year alone and, so far, 1 this month (Feb.1).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Sat 08: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 08: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 08: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 08: Lewis Watson Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 08: Anth Purdy @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. ‘Swing Jazz Guitar’.
Sat 08: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A Newcastle University Jazz Orchestra event. All welcome.

Sun 09: Glenn Miller & Big Band Spectacular @ The Forum, Billingham. 3:00pm.
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: 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.

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 09, 2017

Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe - January 4

(Review by Steve T)
According to the website, main man Dave Weisser likes to think of this as more of a workshop than a jam session. He sat at the front of a sparse audience like a Mingus character directing operations, chipping in trumpet, muted and singing as the mood took him, his own non-commissioned Dolphy, impressive on alto, flute and vocals, taking a lead on the shop floor.
My Funny Valentine as we arrived and there was also another lady alto player, 'bone, guitar, piano, bass and drums.
Dolphy switched to flute for Little Sunflower and, half way through, Mingus flicked a switch from 68 to 79 and the vocal version featuring Al Jarreau and some sterling piano from Chick Corea, so no pressure. The bass, in tune with the times, turned it up and funked it up with some slapping among the piano solo.

Sugar by Stanley Turrentine took it to the break, the new Knepper getting the strangest sounds from his muted bone at the intro, which I've no doubt Mingus would have loved and I'm sure his surrogate did tonight. The assembled horns, a tad uncomfortable at times, were splendid here, almost knocking you over.
It couldn't be a Mingus style workshop without a Dannie Richmond and there was Whiplash Mackellar sat in the middle like a Trojan Horse. On sneaked FDT and Dan Lawrence on guitar and bass respectively for three pieces during the break: I'll Remember April, On Green Dolphin Street and Blue Bossa. The Matthew Mackellar Trio became the Band with no Name but I think fate has intervened to name them and maybe the former should stick, even if it becomes something like MMT.
Great to see guitar and drums bouncing off each other, spurring each other on to bigger and better things, Dan solid as a rock between them, high in the mix, happy to let the other two take the leads and the bulk of the solos, though contributing a belter of his own near the end of the short set.
I've said before I always end up chatting music at the Globe and tonight I nailed the main man. He briefly named MMT the Best Band You've Never Heard and I wondered out loud whether he knew the Zappa reference - he did. Then we discussed Eddie Henderson and he hadn't realised he was a Cooker and played the Sage in November and this led to our shared love of the Crusaders.
The main band returned for Jobin’s Wave, Dolphy/Jude (I think) with a great natural voice reminding me of Corinne Drewery of Swing Out Sister, one of my favourite pop groups, with a strong soul, jazz and easy-listening influence.
A Big Up for the guitarist who contended with the precocious teenage punk with the conservatoire scholarship and the dancing young fingers. He was solid with a great sound - his own - and put together some subtle, inventive and well-constructed solos; some stuff Francis has wrestled with.
It may be a while before I get back to the Globe for a jam session/ workshop but hopefully I'll keep my date with Budtet on the twenty first of this month and maybe I'll feel brave enough to pick up a few of the names of the regulars to go with the instruments. 
Steve T.

3 comments :

Jude Murphy (on F/b) said...

What a treat to have Francis and his unfeasibly young and talented trio there.

Steve T said...

Nothing Freudian but, in bed for the last 2 nights I suddenly remembered a tenor player. I forgot to post it yesterday so double apologies to the gentleman.

Lance said...

No doubt it was Jeff Smith on tenor

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