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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

17719 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 39 of them this year alone and, so far, 39 this month (Jan. 15).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Sat 18: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 18: Alter Ego + Jamie Toms/Graham Don Duo @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 18: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Repas 7 by Night, West St., Berwick TD15 1AS. 7:30pm. Free. Album launch gig.
Sat 18: Delta Prophets @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 19: Glenn Miller Orchestra UK @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 3:00pm. ‘Glenn Miller & the Rat Pack Era’.
Sun 19: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 19: Spilt Milk @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 5:15-7:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 19: Tenement Jazz Band @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 19: Nick Ross Orchestra @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm.
Sun 19: Freight Train (Tobin/Noble/Clarvis) @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 19: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 20: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 21: ???

Wed 22: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 22: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 22: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 22: Pasadena Roof Orchestra @ Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm.

Thu 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free. Fortnightly.
Thu 23: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Obituaries 2024.
Thu 23: Jason Isaacs @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:30-6:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Thu 23: Pedal Point Trio @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 24: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm.
Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Creakin’ Bones & the Sunday Dinners @ Lindisfarne Social Club, Wallsend. 9:00pm. Admission: TBC. Jazz, blues , jump jive, rock ‘n’ roll.

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, June 02, 2017

In Other Words & BLT @ Prohibition Bar - June 1














In Other Words: Alex Thompson (alto/clarinet); Nathan Lawson (guitar); Dylan Thompson (drums).
BLT: Ben Lawrence (keys); Alex Shipsey (bass guitar); Dylan Thompson (drums).
(Review by Lance).
The Prohibition Bar was full, seats were at a premium as friends, family and a few passers-by admired the prowess of the next generation of jazz musicians (combined ages of the five players probably 90 or under!) Most, if not all, had paid their dues via the Jambone and Early Bird bands from the nearby Sage Gateshead and, not surprisingly, the lynchpin of Jambone, Paul Edis, was their looking on.
BLT, once known as the Ben Lawrence Trio, opened the scoring with Anthropology; Someday my Prince Will Come and There Will Never be Another You. Lawrence is fluent without being flamboyant, a harmonically sound player. The next three pieces were originals by the pianist the titles of which I didn't catch. Ethereal, abstract explorations that were, nevertheless, not without form.
Shipsey was sound in support and took the occasional impressive solo although a tad more volume wouldn't have gone amiss.
No such problems with young Dylan who cracked the whip in both bands. If Matt MacKellar is the next Buddy Rich then Dylan Thompson is the next Matt MacKellar!
In Other Words, the name comes from the original title of Fly me to the Moon, saw Dylan joined by brother Alex on Alto and Clarinet alongside Nathan Lawson on a rather splendid left-handed Gretsch semi-acoustic.
An impressive set list: Seven Steps to Heaven; Skating in Central Park; Misty; Oleo; Jelly Roll; Bare Necessities/I Wanna be Like You; Slow Boat to China; Lady Bird; Alice in Wonderland; Fly me to the Moon (natch!); a Phil Meadows composition; Nica's Dream; Black & Tan Fantasy; My Favourite Things; Goodbye Porkpie Hat and Meet the Flintstones.
Alex Thompson blew short but well-constructed solos and Lawson chorded tastefully, put in some bass lines and, on the rare occasions when he soloed he left us wanting to hear more.
Shipsey returned to augment the trio on Caravan which saw Dylan Thompson working out very effectively. It could be said he brought the house down!  
Finally, the trio that became a quartet finished up as a quintet when Ben Lawrence joined them for Spain - Olay!
Lance.

1 comment :

Russell said...

I wish I had been able to be there. Definitely next time!

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