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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.

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.

Tue 08: ???

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 29, 2017

CD Review: Peter Jones - Under the Setting Sun.

Peter Jones (vocal); Vasilis Xenopoulos (tenor/flute); Anthony Kerr (vibes); Neil Angilley (piano); Andy Hamill (bass/harmonica); Davide Giannimi (drums).
(Review by Lance). 
Peter Jones wears many hats, not least as an occasional contributor to these pages. His reviews from various London gigs help to make our presence known in the capital. He's also the author of what promises to be the definitive biography of Mark Murphy (out April 2018)* and, as this album shows, a first class singer/composer/lyricist.
Oh and, by the way, in case anyone thinks this review is of the 'jobs for the boys' variety we enthused over his previous album** long before we knew him!
Island Honey, set to an infectious cha-cha beat, the number was inspired by a small island off Brazil where he once holidayed. I'm not sure if the honey is a local lady or a reference to the luscious flute solo by that Greek God - Vasy.
Doggerland: Somewhat improbably set at the end of the last ice age circa 6,500 BC when sea levels were rising but England and the continent of Europe were still one. It's a poignant tale of love, heartbreak and hope that could easily be related to today. The emotion in Jones' voice touches the listener's inner soul and Angilley adds to the mood.
Baby and Hog refers to Baby Laurence and Ground Hog who'd dance for the queues outside Minton's to fund their H habit. More Vasy flute, Kerr vibes and Angilly piano to make you want to dance (in 7/4 time).
If Not Now, When? A lover pleads for the object of his affection to stop stalling. Vasy blows booting tenor, there are some nice piano and vibes in there too to strengthen the wooer’s case.
A Voice That’s Low, a Voice That’s Sweet has some more romantic moments. A hint of Curtis Stigers in the vocal.
1969 is in a dark mode with Hamill on harmonica and some soul-searching tenor. I’m not sure of the relevance of the title. Was 1969 such a bad year? The Beatles released Abbey Rd., Richard Nixon became president, Miles released Bitches Brew and Newcastle United won the Fairs Cup.
Every Day I Hear More Bad News is even darker with Vasy and vibesman Kerr trying hard to allow the sun to shine through the clouds. A snipe at the media which also tells us that love is the panacea for bad news.
Remember Summer: flute, piano and vocal fight the gloom of winter.
Paper Boat; Another reflective song – lost love emotively told by Jones.
Your Secrets: A waltz with three part vocal harmony (Has Jones triple dubbed?). Great tenor and piano solos.
Reunion: Memories of an old love rekindled.
Jones says that his aim was to create something that people might want to chill out to at 2am.
In that, he succeeds brilliantly – the wee small hours of today no less.
The downside, of course, is that not everyone does their listening at 2am…
Lance.
Release date for Peter Jones - Under the Setting Sun is August 25. Howlin' Werewolf - HW003
Album launch is on August 26 at Jazz Café Posk, London.
* This Is Hip: The Life of Mark Murphy (Equinox Publishing - April 2018).

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