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Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: '' A Love Supreme coincided with my search for meaning in life". (DownBeat, March 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

17864 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 185 of them this year alone and, so far,32 this month (March10).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Tues 11: Solea @ Earthlings, the Healing Café, 94 Buckingham St., Newcastle, NE4 5QR. 7:00-8:45pm. Food available if ordered before 6:30pm. New band: Johannes Dalhuijsen (tenor sax, bass clarinet); Richard Herdman (guitar); Nick Bagnall (bass guitar); John Hirst (drums).
Tue 11: Giles Strong Quartet @ 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: The Exu + Matt Cliffe @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 13: Oh La La! @ Allendale Village Hall, Northumberland. 7:30pm. £12.00.; £6.00. child. Fifi La Mer (accordion, vocals), Oliver Wilby (reeds).
Thu 13: Fiona Finden’s Jazz Express @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 14: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 14: Paul Taylor @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00-2:00pm. £5.00. at the door. Second Friday in the month lunchtime 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: Brass Funkeys + Dilutey Juice @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £8.00.
Fri 14: Oh La La! @ Edmundbyers Village Hall, Co. Durham. 7:30pm. £12.00.; £10.00. (additional £5.00. supper option, ordered in advance). Fifi La Mer (accordion, vocals), Oliver Wilby (reeds).
Fri 14: The Collective @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £8.50.
Fri 14: Bridget Metcalfe Quintet @ St George’s Venue, Park Road, Hartlepool. 7:30pm.

Sat 15: Hot Teapots @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm.
Sat 15: Creakin’ Bones @ Billy Bootleggers. Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free.
Sat 15: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 15: Is This Jazz? @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Tickets: www.eventbrite.co.uk. Performances by Mu Quintet, Jinjé, A Brief Utopia, John Pope & Co + André Marmot (author of Unapologetic Expression: The Inside Story of the UK Jazz Explosion) in conversation + DJ sets ‘til 3:00am. ‘A Festival of New Jazz’.
Sat 15: Vintage Explosion @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Sat 15: Alligator Gumbo @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm. £15.00.
Sat 15: One Night Standards @ The White Room, Stanley. 8:00pm. £8.67 (inc. bf). Note - previously advertised Salty Dogs cancelled.
Sat 15: Howlin’ Mat @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Blues guitar.

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: Pearl Blossoms @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Ragtime.
Sun 16: Hot 8 Brass Band @ Wylam Brewery. 7:30pm. ‘Big Tuba Tour’.
Sun 16: ARQ @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 16: Air4ce @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 8:30pm (8:00pm doors). £12.00.; £10.00. Tom Atkinson’s all-star band (line-up inc. Lindsay Hannon & Sue Ferris).
Sun 16: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 17: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 17: Jamie Toms Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

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

Friday, May 12, 2017

BABMUS @ The Jazz Café - May 11

(Review by Russell)
A bumper BABMUS session. Sage Gateshead students’ regular gig at the Jazz Café on Pink Lane took on an extra dimension with the presence of tutors in assessment mode. It’s that time of year… students getting the beers in, partying…sorry, studying late into the night, burning the midnight oil,   future careers at the forefront of their minds. The upstairs room comfortably full, Paul Edis handed an unsuspecting Thomas Dixon MC duties for the evening. Saxophonist Dixon thanked Dr Edis for putting him on the spot…a sink or swim moment!
BA and BMus students gathered in the upstairs room on Pink Lane, the place buzzing with a sense of anticipation. The evening would comprise a series of quick fire small group performances (tutors making notes on laptops…A+, D-, or perhaps they were shopping lists…a pound of carrots, cereal,  etc), culminating in a BABMUS big band finale. Dixon introduced his fellow students as they took to the stage. On this occasion your BSH reviewer determined name checks were unnecessary (with a quartet the exception, of which, more later), the examinees were in the spotlight, pressure enough! Some performers didn’t have a collective name.  A second’s thought, and a new name devised for the occasion would suffice. Jazz Hands, Time Wasters, Blue Strap and Radgie Little Gangsters, on the spot monikers! Tunes ranging from I Got Rhythm and Feeling Good to All Blues and Blue Boss. The latter isn’t a typo, Blue Bossa became Blue Boss. From the Gershwins and Kanye West to the familiar Miles and equally familiar Bruno Mars (for those of the Millennial generation), a composers’ who’s who?
The examiners listened to vocalists, brass and reeds, pianists, guitarists, bass players, drummers, all manner of instrumentalists. Supported by a cheering on-side audience, all acquitted themselves well. Some of the examinees have sat in at the Jazz Café’s high octane jam session (first and third Tuesdays) and lived to tell the tale. More than that, some of those sitters-in have come on in leaps and bounds. All students, any instrument, are encouraged to turn up (8:00pm) and give it a go.
Bearpark is a Sage Gateshead student quartet developing apace. Pianist (and organist) Bearpark, that’s Tom Bearpark, together with Thomas Dixon (that’s MC Tom Dixon) reeds, bassist Stephen Wall and drummer Adam Watson are leading the way at the regular BABMUS session at the Jazz Café. Now taking on Bill Evans, Wayne Shorter and the challenge of modal jazz, this quartet is not too far away from taking to the road, gigging as a working unit. If they’ve got anything like a full pad (ie two forty five minutes’ worth of material) these guys should be knocking on the Facebook doors of local promoters (Darlington, Durham, Hexham and Newcastle for starters).

To conclude an enjoyable evening the BABMUS Big Band assembled on stage for a good old blow out. Dr Edis, done with laptop duties, grabbed his alto sax to take his place in the line-up. Edis’ old Splinter Group chart For Bill got an airing in between some swinging, hard blowing ensemble work. Check out the next BABMUS session, but before then, make a point of getting along to the Caff on Tuesday (May 16) for the next installment of the always interesting jam session. Downbeat at eight, seats at a premium, it’s the greatest free show in town.
Russell.         

4 comments :

Emma Fisk (on F/b) said...

Go Lucy Playle!

Lucy Playle (on f/b) said...

Ooh thanks Emma I didn't even know XD yayayaya thank you. ����������������������

Emma Fisk (on F/b) said...

Hope it went well and you enjoyed it!�� x

Lucy Playle (on f/b) said...

��������Yes it went well thank you ����������

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