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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

17805 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 126 of them this year alone and, so far, 51 this month (Feb.16).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Sun 23: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 23: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Mark Williams Trio @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 23: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 23: Mississippi MacDonald @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. Blues.
Sun 23: Mu Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. CANCELLED!
Sun 23: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 24: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 24: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 25: ?

Wed 26: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 26: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 26: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 27: Jamie McCredie @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Fri 28: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. THIS WEEK ONLY JAMES BIRKETT (guitar)!
Fri 28: Luis Verde Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 28: Spilt Milk @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £8.00.
Fri 28: Knats @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £11.50. (inc bf.). Album launch gig. Support act TBC.
Fri 28: Black is the Color of My Voice @ The Gala, Durham. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman show inspired by the life of Nina Simone, performed by Florence Odumosu.
Fri 28: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival: Musicians Unlimited @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 8:00pm. £10.00. (Weekend ticket £20.00., available on the door). Day 1/3. Musicians Unlimited in concert.
Fri 28: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

MARCH 2025

Sat 01: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 11:00am. £15.00. Day 2/3.
Sat 01: TJ Johnson Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 01: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £25.00. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Get your funk on! Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 01: Shunyata Improvisation Group @ The Watch House, Cullercoats. 2:00-3:30pm. Free.
Sat 01: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers. Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Struggle Buggy @ The Peacock, Sunderland. 6:00pm. Blues band.
Sat 01: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 01: Jack & Jay’s Vintage Songbook @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

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, May 17, 2017

Cookin’ @ The Jazz Café - May 16

(Review by Russell)
The superlatives have been exhausted. A regional jam session can’t be this good. People would pay good money to hear Mark Williams, Paul Grainger and Rob Walker. The trio played three or four numbers before guitarist Williams and drummer Rob Walker stood down to allow an endless parade of first rate musicians to sit in. A piano player just turned seventeen, a drummer eighteen, joined by a twenty-ish trumpet-playing university science undergraduate, an early twenties guitar virtuoso…who needs Messrs Williams and Walker? Rumour has it they went for a curry.
A string thing to begin…Bradley Johnston, guitar, and, first time participant, folk fiddler of national renown, Andy Lawrenson playing Night and Day and A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square with Johnston’s considered intro to the latter number. West End resident (that’s West End, Newcastle, somewhat different to the London parish of the same name) Paul Ruddick joined the party, taking his customary window seat to blow some feverish alto on Nature Boy. Young bucks Joel Brown, piano, Matt MacKellar, drums, and guitarist Johnston were in on it. Terrific it was.

Matt vacated the drum chair for Matt to sit-in on a couple. That’s Berklee-bound M MacKellar out, M Fairhurst in. Spot the difference…in terms of ability, none. JP, that’s John Pope, allowed Paul Grainger to go to the men’s room, and the newly formed quintet gave a sensitive reading of John Lewis’ Skating in Central Park. Folk/jazz violinist Lawrenson returned to feature on an up-tempo After You’ve Gone with Fairhurst accenting here and there and, as the mood took him, taking an accomplished, extended solo.

Showtime! David ‘Showtime’ Gray was in the house. St Thomas, that’s the infectious St Thomas, DG is good value, every time. Waiting in the wings…Julija Jacenaite and Paul Gowland. Bradley returned to the stand, as did Matt MacKellar, to play Wave. Jacenaite’s scatting vocals, Gowland on soprano, Johnston’s killing solo…is anyone recording this stuff?

You’d be so nice to come home to sang Julija accompanied by a real find, Newcastle University student trumpeter Joe Davies, and a fizzing MacKellar on kit. It couldn’t get any better! Oh, yes it could! And it did! Vying for performance of the year, Jacenaite singing Angel Eyes with the brass boys Gray and Davies pitching in and Gowland’s soprano taking it to the summit. Almost time to get out of here…swing-time Joel Brown, cookin’ Matt MacKellar, Gowland in there, and the main man Mr Paul Grainger insisting there will never be another you.
There will never be another jam session like it…until next time!
Russell    
Mark Williams (guitar), Paul Grainger (double bass) & Rob Walker (drums) + Bradley Johnston (guitar), Andy Lawrenson (violin), Paul Ruddick (alto saxophone), Paul Gowland (soprano saxophone), Joe Davies (trumpet), David Gray (trombone), Joel Brown (piano), John Pope (double bass), Matthew MacKellar (drums), Matthew Fairhurst (drums) & Julija Jacenaite (vocals)

2 comments :

Anonymous said...

I'm getting unwarranted generosity. That solo was only 'extended' because I had no idea how many bars were in the form!

Anonymous said...

From Ann Alex, Ms Jacenaite was absolutely brilliant, the best singer I've heard this year. I'm not that fond of scat but hers fitted well into the songs, especially on 'Wave'. She 'acted' the songs well, with great aplomb and sometimes humour. I wouldn't be surprised if she's a trained actor as well.

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