Total Pageviews

7300679

Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, April 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

17923 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 244 of them this year alone and, so far, 91 this month (March 31).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Tue 01: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Mark Robertson.
Tue 01: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, North St., Ferryhill DL17 8HX. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 02: Lauren Bush: The Jazz Singer’s Toolkit @ The Pele, Corbridge. 1:00-4:00pm. Vocalist Lauren Bush with pianist Jamil Sheriff presents a jazz singing workshop. £40.00. (inc. evening concert, see below). Registration required for workshop: www.laurenbushjazz.com. All ability levels welcome.
Wed 02: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 02: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 2:30-4:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Wed 02: Lauren Bush & Jamil Sheriff @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00-9:00pm. £10.00. Concert performance. Tickets: www.laurenbushjazz.com.
Wed 02: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 02: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE! See website for updates: www.theglobenewcastle.bar.

Thu 03: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Women in Jazz.
Thu 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 03: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. A Tees Hot Club promotion. First Thursday in the month.

Fri 04: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 04: Ruth Lambert Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Fri 04: Tom McGuire & the Brassholes @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00.
Fri 04: Nicolas Meier’s Infinity Group + Spirit of Jeff Beck @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm.

Sat 05: Tenement Jazz Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 05: Sleep Suppressor @ Head of Steam, Newcastle. 5:30-6:00pm.
Sat 05: King Bees @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Raymond MacDonald & Jer Reid @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 6:00-9:30pm. £7.72., £1.00. (minimum donation). MacDonald & Reid + Objections + Yotuns.
Sat 05: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Kamasi Washington @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £33.00.
Sat 05: Vermont Big Band @ The Seahorse, Whitley Bay. 7:30pm. Tickets: £10.00 (from the venue).
Sat 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 06: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 06: Learning & Participation Showcase @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm (1:00pm doors). Free. Featuring participants from Play More Jazz! Play More Folk! Blue Jam Singers & more.
Sun 06: Joe Steels Group @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Ferg Kilsby, Joe Steels, Ben Lawrence, Paul Susans, John Hirst.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Hooch, Quayside, Newcastle. 6:00pm.
Sun 06: Leeway @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 07: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

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

Sunday, June 04, 2017

Notes from day one of the Durham City Jazz Festival. June 2.

(Review by Steve T)
I returned home in the early hours after Friday night wanting to write my review while I was still buzzing but, with a DJ set to prepare and an early start the next day... I find, writing this on Sunday morning, I'm still buzzing.
This is a multi-venue event across the city with the focus on an outdoor area at Fowlers Yard and the Empty Shop Just across the river. The Empty Shop already has the coolest regular jazz night in the region and will have made many new friends this weekend, with its eternally friendly welcome from festival co-creator Carlo and his eternally patient partner Ali.
Three bands at the Empty Shop meant I didn't get to the Old Cinema Laundrette for what I believe was their first foray into Jazz with Mick Shoulders Swing Manouche, but people began trickling down with reports of a sell-out and a triumph, some who hadn't heard Lord Edis before, some not realising he was the clarinettist. He returns to the Festival tonight (Sunday) with Triptych.
Three trios at the Empty Shop on Friday, first up Senza Frame with a Durham Uni connection and I wasn't sure at first how up my street it would be, but I quickly came around to their futuristic grooves from drums, some impressive 'proper' piano playing and a third playing mostly electronic sounds and occasional sax.
Toon band Taupe next and the type of free-blowing soundscapes Jazz North East put on at the Bridge in Newcastle and these were up with the best of them.
With everything that's going on in the North East, and Durham doing better than most, it feels like we're on the cusp of something great with Faye MacCalman and Archipelago surely at the forefront. Fresh from her tour with the Unthanks, they were more rhythmic and melodic than I'd expected. I always try to buy albums from up and coming bands but I'd have bought there's anyway and have fast-tracked it to the top of the ever-growing heap.
Festivals are often as good as their jam sessions and this was a blinder. With the absence of a bass, up-stepped trooper John Pope from Archipelago to give it some order, a solid backbone and some sterling soloing. Faye and the saxophonist from Taupe briefly made up a three sax section but their places were gradually taken by ordinary punters. By definition these feature musicians of mixed abilities and it fell to precocious teenage guitarist to take control with one of those solos which should have been too long but you wanted  it to go on and on. Pope favourite Spain brought a memorable night to a close.
If we can get this on quickly enough, please try to get to Fowlers Yard this evening (Sunday) for the Steve Glendenning Quartet featuring the extraordinary vibraphonist Chris Jelly. Then face the choice between brilliant multi-saxophonist Sue Ferris, with another teenage whiz-kid Matthew MacKellar depping on drums, or a two minute walk to the Empty Shop for our very own Duke Ellington, Lord Paul and a trio Triptych.
Steve T.

2 comments :

Russell said...

Great review Steve!

Steve T said...

Sorry you couldn't make it. Trust you are well.

Blog Archive