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Bebop Spoken There

Steve Coleman: ''If you don't keep learning, your mind slows down. Use it or lose it''. (DownBeat, January 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

17655 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 929 of them this year alone and, so far, 74 this month (Dec. 31).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Tue 07: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, North St., Ferryhill DL17 8HX. 7:00pm. Free.

Wed 08: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 08: The Tannery Jam Session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Wed 08: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 08: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Thu 09: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: John H Hammond.
Thu 09: FILM: Soundtrack to a Coup D’Etat @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. 2:35pm. Documentary (dir. Johan Grimonprez) ‘about jazz, (de)colonial history and activism featuring Louis Armstrong, Nina Simone and Dizzy Gillespie’.
Thu 09: Happy Tuesdays @ Ye Olde Cross, Ryton. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 09: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. Ragtime piano. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 09: Mark Toomey Quartet @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. A Tees Hot Club promotion. The session now monthly, next one Thursday 2nd Feb, then first Thursday in the month thereafter.

Fri 10: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 10: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 10: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.

Sat 11: Jason Isaacs @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 11: Under the Wellie @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 12: The New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 12: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 12: King Bees @ The Tyne Bar, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Superb Chicago blues band.
Sun 12: Dave Bottomley @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar.
Sun 12: Jack Pearce Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 13: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 13: Raymond MacDonald & Andy Champion @ The Globe, Newcastle. 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

Wednesday, May 03, 2017

Jazz Café Jam Session - May 2.











(Review by Lance). 
Another killer! The calibre of players who turn up to jam at the Caff on  the first and third Tuesdays of the month just gets higher and higher. Some are regulars, some occasional visitors and some first timers. Some, even a throwback to the Sunday afternoon sessions of the Crombie Era!
In this latter category was Julija Jacenaite*, a lusty in your face, soulful scatwoman whom I remembered well from those heady afternoons. In the four or five years since I last heard this Lithuanian (or is it Roumanian?) lady the voice has matured and the stage presence with it.
Wave, an incredibly fast All of Me. A Night in Tunisia and Take the A Train left the audience breathless. If Crombie could have heard her now!
Not that Julija was the only nightingale singing in Pink Lane. Belinda Voshtina made a tantalisingly brief appearance to sing A Day in the Life of a Fool backed only by Alan Law and John Pope. We wanted more but she couldn't stay.

Other newcomers included impressive guitarist Ath Alex and fiery trumpet player Joe Davies whilst semi-regulars Johnson, Dixon, Brown and Fairhurst also kept the flag flying.
As ever, Berklee bound MacKellar knocked everyone out in fact, after his solo on Airegin I couldn't help but think that Berklee should be coming to him!
Needless to say the house trio of Law, Pope and White were up for it. Not surprisingly, given Alan's predilection for things Hispanic, including an extended Cuban opus in their opening set.
Cigars all round.
Can't wait for the next one.
Photos.
Lance.
Alan Law (piano); John Pope (bass); Sid White (drums) + Joel Brown (piano); Matthew MacKellar (drums); Ray Johnson (trumpet/flugel); Ath Alex (guitar); Matthew Fairhurst (drums); Belinda Voshtina (vocal); Julija Jacenaite (vocal); Tom Dixon (tenor); Joe Davies (trumpet).
* Keep an eye out for Julija's Brave Wee Ant at a venue near you - soon.

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