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Bebop Spoken There

Van Morrison: ''Basically, I'm coming from jazz. Not pop, not rock, not what's commercial. That's where I started, and that's still where I am. I feel the same as I did when I was listening to Louis Armstrong, Lead Belly, Jelly Roll Morton''. (The Northern Echo, 12 June 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

1803759 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 480 of them this year alone and, so far, 58 this month (June 18).

From This Moment On ...

JUNE 2025

Thu 19: Gareth John & the SOS Big Band @ The Forum Music Centre, Darlington. 7:00pm. £25.00. CANCELLED!

Fri 20: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 20: David Gray's Flextet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 20: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. £21.50. ‘Time After Time’.
Fri 20: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm.
Fri 20: King Bees @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. Superb Chicago blues band.

Sat 21: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 21: Red Kites Jazz @ Staithes Café, Dunston. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Sat 21: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 22: Phoenix 4 @ Wallington, Northumberland. 12 noon-1:00pm & 2:00-3:00pm. Tel: 01670 773606. National Trust admission prices apply. ‘Tunes in the Blooms’.
Sun 22: Lapwing Trio @ Wallington, Northumberland. 1:00-2:00pm. Tel: 01670 773606. National Trust admission prices apply. ‘Tunes in the Blooms’.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Jason Isaacs Trio @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 4:00pm. £18.00. + £1.08 bf.
Sun 22: JazzMain @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 23: MSK Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance.
Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club (1:00pm). Free.

Tues 24: ???

Wed 25: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 25: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 25: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 25: The Magpies of Swing @ The Roxy, Leadgate, Co. Durham. 7:30pm. A Ginger Jitterbugs swing dance event, all welcome.

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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