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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

Sat 21: Jason Holcomb Jazz Ensemble @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 5:30-7:30pm. Free. A 'Sunderland Year of Music' event.
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.

Thu 26: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Brass Instruments & the use of mutes.

Fri 27: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm.
Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 27: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 8:00pm. ‘Time After Time’.

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, June 14, 2017

Samuel Eagles' Spirit @ The Globe - June 13


Samuel Eagles (alto); Duncan Eagles (tenor); Ralph Wyld (vibes); Sam Leak (piano); Max Luthert (bass); Dave Hamblett (drums).
(Review/photo by Lance/B & W photos courtesy of Ken Drew).
The Eagles eventually landed - a flat tyre en route delayed their arrival. However, another bird, Wylam Breweries' Red Kite kept our Spirits high until at last the band was up and flying.
As you will gather from my recent review of their new CD it's a very impressive album indeed and all the plaudits posted then apply now. However, there is a difference. Even if you have the best Bose sound system in the world, it pales against hearing the participants live - even after a seven hour, incident-packed drive!
Eagles, the younger, composed all 8 pieces and had the lion's share of the solos. A full-toned, angular player, he soared effortlessly through the changes. Well, he would do, wouldn't he? He wrote them himself! Big brother Duncan had fewer solos but when he did, he seized the moment. Perhaps a more contemporary player than Samuel (the jury's out on that one) he also contributed to the rich ensembles. Sometimes in unison, more often in harmony and frequently in a contrapuntal almost fugue-like fashion. This was no mere 'blowing band'.
Wyld is rapidly becoming one of the UK's leading vibes players and neither he nor pianist Leak got in each other's way. Luthert and Hamblett were solid at the back with Hamblett having several chances to shine.
He shone.
Luthert set his stall out in the introduction to the enigmatically titled Changed, Changing Still. An engine room operative first class.
Great solos from all, but the cream in the coffee is the compositions and the arrangements. Beautifully set out with the tension building almost imperceptibly until suddenly, the clouds are beneath you.
Difficult to pick out any one piece but my own favourite was Hope in the Hills. I felt this had a highland feel to it and imagined it was inspired by a gig in Scotland. Picture my surprise when Samuel told us it was about a gig in Italy! It didn't detract from my enjoyment of the music.
A gig, like the CD, to remember and reflect upon.
Lance.
More Ken Drew photos.

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