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Bebop Spoken There

George Porter Jr.: ''To me, syncopation is like jazz. It wasn't meant for the masses. It was meant just for a hip few". (DownBeat, May 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

18043 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 364 of them this year alone and, so far, 42 this month (May 15).

From This Moment On ...

MAY 2025

Sat 17: Teresa Watson Band @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Blues.
Sat 17: The Society Quartet @ Hilton Garden Inn, Sunderland. 6:00pm. Tel: 0191 500 9494. £26.00 (inc. two course meal). Line-up: Jason Holcomb, Hannah Taylor, Alix Shepherd & Abbie Finn.
Sat 17: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 17: Archie Brown & the Young Bucks @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Rhythm & blues, Americana etc.
Sat 17: Bellavana @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30-10:00pm. Free. A Late Shows event.
Sat 17: Rockin’ Turner Brothers @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Rockabilly, Western swing etc.

Sun 18: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 12 noon-2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 18: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 18: Ruth Lambert & Giles Strong @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 18: Steve Summers Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 19: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 19: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 20: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, Bailey Rudd.
Tue 20: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Pleased to Meet You, Bridge St., Morpeth NE61 1ND. 8:00pm.

Wed 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 21: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public). b Wed 21: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 22: Nuevo Castillo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £5.00.
Thu 22: Anna Reay & Deon Krishnan @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:30-9:15pm. Free.
Thu 22: Pedal Point Trio @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 23: Dean Stockdale Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. ‘Celebrating Oscar’.
Fri 23: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 23: Anna Reay & Deon Krishnan @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: Joe Steels Group @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £10.00. + £1.55. bf. A Northumberland Jazz Festival fringe event.
Fri 23: Spilt Milk @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 23: Gaz Hughes Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm.
Fri 23: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 8:00pm. £19.00.; £17.00. ‘Time After Time’.

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, April 09, 2017

Edis & Wilson @ Café Monk - April 7

Paul Edis (piano) & Graeme Wilson (tenor saxophone)
(Review by Russell).
One week on from this year’s Gateshead International Jazz Festival Newcastle’s Jazz Café struck gold with the return visit of Paul Edis and Graeme Wilson. A duo performance makes demands on the listener, and some don’t always listen. This evening’s performance of the lesser-spotted works of Thelonius Sphere Monk drew a large, attentive crowd. So crowded was the Jazz Café that some sat on the floor – disciples at the feet of the masters.

A charged atmosphere, a sense of anticipation at what was to come, lights down, a few bars in to a rare performance of Green Chimneys and it was lights out! Momentarily – a split second in reality – ‘Café Monk’ plunged into darkness. A power surge on Pink Lane, the energised duo of pianist Paul Edis and reeds master Graeme Wilson lit up the room on what was to become a memorable night. Scot Graeme Wilson addressed the audience without the need of a PA, his tenor projecting to the gallery. Placing Monk’s compositions in context – early to late career – Wilson speculated as to the meaning of some of the titles. Early period Monk – We See – featured brilliant solos from Edis and Wilson, and this was to be the pattern throughout the evening. First Edis then Wilson, another tune Wilson then Edis.

The quality of performance sustained at an exceptionally high level marks out this gig as one of the great performances of the year, come to that, any year. Detailing each and every solo is somewhat of a redundant exercise – take it as read that all solos, indeed every note, played were nothing less than superb. Four in One, Ugly Beauty (with unintentional accompanying espresso coffee machine coda!), Gallop’s Gallop, Café Monk’s patrons applauded long and loud. Epistrophy (later reprised as an encore), Bright Mississippi, the wonderfully titled Trinkle, Tinkle, a ballad (Monk’s Mood), the audience would have hung around ’til midnight. Edis and Wilson concluded their masterclass with a marvellous Jackie-ing and Hornin’ In.

A packed Jazz Café attracted the usual faces, a few new faces (they’ll be back!) and a posse from the BABMUS/Jambone/Early Birders’ collective. These young musicians know their stuff – it’s good to know they made the effort to check out Paul Edis and Graeme Wilson. A five star evening.

Russell.                 

2 comments :

Steve T said...

When the cats are at play, the mouse has to stay away, which I (being the mouse) totally understand, but had I known this was all about Monk(and I'll no doubt get into more bother with Lance for not knowing), I'd have spoilt his little game anyway.
I've confessed before to being a Monk philistine but haven't given up and I'm still fascinated by him.
I wonder how much this was inspired by the historic Monk/Trane collaborations considered so vital to the latters development.

Lance said...

You're not alone re Monk. It took me a long time to appreciate the creativity of the man - as a pianist (I once heard him referred to as the 'Les Dawson of jazz') However, what was immediately apparent to me was his merit as a composer. Monk is up there with Ellington (another sometimes quirky pianist), Mingus, Stan Tracey, Gil/Bill Evans, Tadd Dameron and a handful more.

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