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Bebop Spoken There

Kurt Elling: ''There's something to learn from every musician you play with''. (DownBeat, December 2024).

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

17630 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 904 of them this year alone and, so far, 49 this month (Dec. 20).

From This Moment On ...

December

Tue 24: Lindsay Hannon & Mark Williams @ Ernest, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 11:00am-1:00pm. Free.
Tue 24: Paul Skerritt @ Mambo Wine & Dine, South Shields. 1:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.

Wed 25: Wot? No jazz!

Thu 26: The Boneshakers @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. The 17th annual Boneshakers’ Shindig.

Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free. Business as usual!.
Fri 27: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 27: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sat 28: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 11:30am. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 28: Fri 20: Castillo Nuevo @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 28: Jude Murphy, Rich Herdman & Giles Strong @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 28: Ray Stubbs R & B All-Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Stepney Bank, Newcastle. 9:00pm. Free.

Sun 29: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 29: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 30: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Wheatsheaf, Benton Sq., Whitley Road, Palmersville NE12 9SU. Tel: 0191 266 8137. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 30: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.

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

Wednesday, February 08, 2017

Southport Jazz Festival - Derek Nash Quartet. February 4

Derek Nash (saxophones, percussion), David Newton (piano), Geoff Gascoyne (bass), Clark Tracey (drums).
(Review by Steve T/courtesy Neil Hughes© Robert Burns)
A slight change from the band in the programme with Clark Tracey at the drum stool. The introduction described them all as world famous and they were seriously swinging from the off, Nash himself, the hat-trick of superb reeds men, kicking off on alto. In shirts, three jackets and a tie this was old-school and impeccably executed.
Something he co-wrote with his dad but I regret I missed the title, found him on un-straightened soprano and I confess I prefer the look of the straight variety. He also played a couple of percussion items, on this occasion bringing a bit of a cocktail feel.
All the Things You Are, as interpreted by Mulligan/ Desmond inevitably put him on baritone. It featured a great solo piano interlude and a fine bass solo, one of perhaps too many for my own personal preference.

 Li’l Darlin’ by Basie and he claimed they were breaking all the rules starting with a drums solo. If I had a reservation about the gig it would be that it stuck a little too steadfastly to the rules, although they did it brilliantly. Thirty-odd years ago, when I first started going to straight ahead Jazz gigs (as opposed to Jazz Funk), this would have totally blown me away, but nowadays my preference is more for stuff a bit further 'out there'.
Love at First Sound opened set two, from his award winning album Joy Riding, which he admitted to being very proud of, and justifiably so from what we heard tonight. This beautiful ballad had him back on baritone with some lovely piano touches and the excellent Dave Newton prevalent throughout the gig.
You Gotta Dig it to Digit, you Dig, a reference to Monk, and title of his latest album brought the first set to an end.
Keep it to Yourself, I think he said by bass player Gascoyne, marked a barnstorming return. A Latin piece with a Latin title I couldn't understand, and the absence of a singer necessitated some audience participation and we were more than happy to help out, some seriously impressive hand work from Tracey and the leader back on alto.
He'd described the show as a journey through his saxophone collection and, while I've always championed soprano and especially baritone, I'm aware that this may be in part, because we generally hear less. Even though I haven't made a note of tenor yet, even though he'd certainly played it, by this time I'd more or less decided it's my favourite, but now I found myself reconsidering alto. Maybe it's like choosing a favourite child.
Homecoming was a gorgeous slice of something, dare I say, close to smooth Jazz, Voodoo Rex from the tradition of New Orleans and ending with Bad Diddley or Bo Didley Clap(along), definitely sounding like something I might know with a different hat on.
Four more great musicians, another super show, Nash like a Michael McIntyre on Jazz. A tad straighter than my preference stopped it being a highlight of the festival, already shaping up to be a classic, but well within my spectrum, and indicative of the significant range of styles over only two days I was there and eight bands I saw.  
Steve T. 

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