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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

17777 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 98 of them this year alone and, so far, 23 this month (Feb.8).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

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.

Fri 14: John Rowland Trio @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00-2:00pm. £5.00. at the door. New second Friday in the month concert series.
Fri 14: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 14: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 14: Archipelago + Anna Tempest @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £8.00.
Fri 14: Paul Jones & Dave Kelly @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. Rhythm & blues.
Fri 14: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Fri 14: Fiona Finden’s Jazz Express @ Flash House Brewing Co., North Shields. 8:00pm.
Fri 14: Jazz Sabbath @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 15: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 15: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 15: Elkie Brooks @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. ‘The Long Farewell Tour’.
Sat 15: Milne Glendinning Band @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 16: MOBO Song @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 12 noon. Free, performances on the concourse. Line-up inc. Jazz Attack (on stage time TBC) & Jambone (12:20pm).
Sun 16: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 16: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: BBC Introducing NE X MOBO Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Jambone, Knats, Rivkala, SwanNek.
Sun 16: The Shayo Experience @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 16: Gerry Richardson Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. .

Mon 17: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 17: Matt Forster Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance.
Mon 17: Russ Morgan Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law, Paul Grainger, John Hirst.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. 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

Sunday, March 19, 2017

Thinking about Jazz Record Requests @ Sage Gateshead - March 18

(Review by Russell)
Jazz Record Requests is required listening. Your weekly Saturday afternoon appointment with Alyn Shipton is the jazz world’s equivalent of devotees of The Archers tuning to BBC Radio 4 Monday to Friday, never missing an episode. This March 18 edition of Jazz Record Requests was broadcast live during BBC Radio 3’s Free Thinking Festival at Sage Gateshead. The concourse overlooking a gray River Tyne a hive of activity – Radio 3 people busying themselves with who knows what and a Tyneside public with a thirst for listening to other people think – the natural meeting place for JRR’s legion of fans, familiar faces at every turn.
Hello to Margaret, Jim and Joyce, just out of a free thinking session with a former Formula 1 World Champion (Damon Hill) and a bit of political free thinking with Harriet Harmon. A hello to John and Kathy, Hugh C (soon to star on JRR), Newcastle Jazz Co-op’s Debra M (anything Hugh can do...), Dr J Birkett on a flying visit, Dr Edis (the star of the show), Kate, Jeremy, Ann Alex and Tony E.
Free Thinkers were everywhere, thinking about thinking. Radio 3’s pop-up studio to one side of the concourse café, a Bentley baby grand tuned ready for Paul Edis to play a selection from There Will Be Time. Tony E wanted to eat, your reviewer fancied a pint. Thinking (it’s contagious), it was a no-brainer…Central Bar, here we come.

Radio 3 runs to time (opera relays the exception!). Four o’clock on the dot Alyn Shipton introduced another edition of Jazz Record Requests. Wireless headphones were freely available to the many JRR listeners on the concourse. A number of Free Thinking thinkers went into the pop-up studio to share thoughts about their chosen disc. Hugh C chose a commissioned Millennium piece by Andy Sheppard and Kathryn Tickell, Debra M opted for Eddie Jefferson’s vocalese take on Bird’s Now’s the Time, plugging the Jazz Co-op into the bargain! Concluding matters, Ros Rigby, until recently a fixture at Sage Gateshead and still involved with the Gateshead International Jazz Festival, spoke to Mr Shipton about this year’s event scheduled for March 31-April 2. The focal point of this edition of JRR was There Will Be Time, Paul Edis’ solo piano CD. Shipton chatted to Edis (see photo) and  Edis played the piano, Vignette a highlight. An excellent way to spend a Saturday afternoon! Let’s hope that Jazz Record Requests returns to the region before too long. Listen again via the BBC’s iPlayer.     
Russell.

3 comments :

Unknown said...

Great to see you all there and to meet so many listeners! Thanks for the kind comments Russell and we hope Lance will be back with us next time we are at Sage!

Hugh said...

Great weekend all round. JRR (53 years in December)regulars may wish to look out for a feature on JRR (Radio 3's "Archers") on Radio 4's "Feedback" programme broadcast on Fridays at 4 o'clock.

Russell said...

I've just been listing to the Sunday repeat of Feedback - more of Debra M & Hugh C! Radio veterans both!

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