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Bebop Spoken There

Sullivan Fortner: ''I always judge it by the bass player: If the bass player is happy, it's going to be a good night". (DownBeat, February 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

17755 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 76 of them this year alone and, so far, 1 this month (Feb.1).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Sat 08: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 08: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 08: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 08: Lewis Watson Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 08: Anth Purdy @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. ‘Swing Jazz Guitar’.
Sat 08: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A Newcastle University Jazz Orchestra event. All welcome.

Sun 09: Glenn Miller & Big Band Spectacular @ The Forum, Billingham. 3:00pm.
Sun 09: The New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 09: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Tom Remon & Mark Williams @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 09: Rod Oughton’s Tomorrow’s New Quartet with Ben van Helder @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Line-up inc. Deschanel Gordon.
Sun 09: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 10: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 11: Steve Summers Quintet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm.

Wed 12: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Jam session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 12: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 13: Student Performances @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 4:00pm. Free. Inc. Olly Styles (tenor sax).
Thu 13: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: Artist Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Hannabiell & Midnight Blue.
Thu 13: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

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

Saturday, July 22, 2017

Alice Grace Trio @ Bishop Auckland Town Hall - July 21.

Alice Grace (voice); James Harrison (keys/accordion); Paul Grainger (bass).
(Review by Steve T/Photos © Mick Shoulder)
It's been said countless Tymes that [Ooh ooh ooh] Ms Grace is the satin of the human race, and Bishop Auckland was in for a real treat this lunchtime.
Work and family commitments meant that I've missed the last couple of gigs here but roving eyes and ears Tony Eales, says it's currently touching the twenty mark, which is getting there but, when you look around at the lit up faces, you wish you could get to the rest, you just know they would love it if they only knew about it. (Editor: Perhaps BSH should hire a light aircraft and do a propaganda leaflet drop over Bishop. Council funded of course).
Alice has a beautiful, clear, voice, comfortable across her significant range, including the high notes; she does some Sassy Jazz and is a mistress of the art of scatting.

Bye, Bye, Blackbird, she admitted she'd only known as a show-tune and I recall Jim Mullen referring to it as 'almost a novelty record', highlighting that it's all down to the interpretation. 
Nature Boy, Weaver of Dreams, for Paul Grainger’s birthday, though I suspect it's a favourite of hers too.
(One of) Curtis Mayfield’s many civil rights anthems, People Get Ready - I was once asked to submit a favourite record for the Soul Source website and this is what I went for. Alice pointed to the Eva Cassidy version and there are many versions, including Lady Soul, but nothing touches the original by The Impressions. I suspect people google it by Curtis and get one of the live solo versions.
Berlin’s Blue Skies, before James Harrison produced an accordion, giving an exotic, continental feel to a European song I didn't know and proceeded to weave around the audience with a rose in his mouth! This reflected the relaxed, informal atmosphere.
A scat version of Dizzy’s Night in Tunisia, via her hero Ella Fitzgerald, and I know there is a track on the Chaka Khan album Echoes of an Era which samples it and adds lyrics, but the CD copy is either in Japanese or too small for these aging eyes to read.
The set ended with another Grace favourite Secret Love, the audience, with me the youngest non-musician there, singing along, as they had done throughout the last hour.
The event is taking a summer break in August but will be back in September with another of the North East’s Premier League jazz singers - Zoe Gilby. 
Steve T.

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