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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

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: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt 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.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Jazz Milestones - 1975.
Thu 20: Renegade Brass Band @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 20: Orange Claw Hammer + Peony @ The Globe, Newcastle.7:30pm. Orange Claw Hammer play Captain Beefheart.
Thu 20: Jeremy McMurray & the Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Featuring special guest Zoë Gilby.

Fri 21: JazzMain @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 21: Joe Steels Trio @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £10.00. TBC.
Fri 21: Emma Rawicz w. Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30pm-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 22: Mississippi MacDonald @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm. Blues.
Sat 22: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Old Cinema Laundrette, Durham. 7:45pm. £16.50. SOLD OUT!
Sat 22: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

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

Saturday, April 01, 2017

GIJF Day 1 – Sage Gateshead: Clare Teal And Her Hollywood Orchestra

Clare Teal (vocals, compere); Guy Barker(conductor, trumpet); Orchestra with string section; Ben Cipolla, Cherise Adam-Burnett (vocals)
(Review by Ann Alex)
This was a hugely enjoyable start to the jazz festival. Ms Teal paid tribute to various singers such as Ella Fitzgerald, Lena Horne, Nina Simone and Peggy Lee, via the music of composers including Cole Porter and Billy Strayhorn. What with Ms Teal’s engaging enthusiasm and the skills of Guy Barker and the orchestra, we knew from the start that this would be good, but it was even better. The orchestra gave a sterling performance, enhanced to give a ‘Hollywood’ feel by the 7-strong string section, and contributions from soloists such as Jason Rebello on piano, Paul Booth on tenor sax, Colin Skinner on alto sax, and of course Guy Barker on trumpet. Unfortunately, I didn’t quite catch the name of the soloist on trombone.
And what’s more, we were introduced to new young vocalists, Cherise Adam-Burnett, in a shimmering golden dress, and Ben Cipolla, who added to his performance by playing guitar alone at the front of the stage to accompany a quiet version of I Only Have Eyes For You. Other numbers sung included the opener from Clare Teal It Might As Well Be Spring; Feelin’ Good (re Nina Simone); Secret Love; From This Moment On. Ben entered (he was discovered whilst busking a Michael Jackson song) with Young At Heart. After a spirited Sans Souci, with the audience joining in the ‘Go, Go, Go’ chorus, enter Cherise with Stormy Weather, and a vocalists threesome with clapping for Hernando's Hideaway to round off the first set.
Three of us didn’t quite get back in time and we found ourselves listening to Ms Teal behind closed doors, singing something in French. Cherise sang an Ella song, Invitation, followed by a plaintive love song penned by Clare Teal – she should write more. Then came  Cole Porter’s Let’s Do It; I’ll Never Be Free; then the fun of a vocal trio doing the Boswell sisters Roll On Mississippi, and Clare’s version of Mack The Knife.She didn’t forget the words as Ella had done during a performance of that song.
The well-deserved encore became 2 songs, Peggy Lee’s The Folks who Live On The Hill and Singin’ In the Rain, including the verse. It just remains to mention that Sage 1, level 1, was almost full and the technicians had done well with Hollywood style lighting, red, green strip lights, alternating with round blue lights.
Ann Alex 

1 comment :

Laura (on Twitter) said...

The "something" in French mentioned here is called La Belle Dame Sans Regrets. Sting also did a version!

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