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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

17777 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 98 of them this year alone and, so far, 23 this month (Feb.8).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Fri 14: John Rowland Trio @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00-2:00pm. £5.00. at the door. New second Friday in the month concert series.
Fri 14: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 14: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 14: Archipelago + Anna Tempest @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £8.00.
Fri 14: Paul Jones & Dave Kelly @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. Rhythm & blues.
Fri 14: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 14: Fiona Finden’s Jazz Express @ Flash House Brewing Co., North Shields. 8:00pm.
Fri 14: Jazz Sabbath @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 15: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 15: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 15: Elkie Brooks @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. ‘The Long Farewell Tour’.
Sat 15: Milne Glendinning Band @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 16: MOBO Song @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 12 noon. Free, performances on the concourse. Line-up inc. Jazz Attack (on stage time TBC) & Jambone (12:20pm).
Sun 16: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 16: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: BBC Introducing NE X MOBO Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Jambone, Knats, Rivkala, SwanNek.
Sun 16: The Shayo Experience @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 16: Gerry Richardson Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. .

Mon 17: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 17: Matt Forster Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance.
Mon 17: Russ Morgan Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law, Paul Grainger, John Hirst.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Jazz Milestones - 1975.
Thu 20: Renegade Brass Band @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 20: Orange Claw Hammer + Peony @ The Globe, Newcastle.7:30pm. Orange Claw Hammer play Captain Beefheart.
Thu 20: Jeremy McMurray & the Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Featuring special guest Zoë Gilby.

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, July 16, 2017

Colin Aitchison & Friends @ Blaydon Jazz Club - July 15

Colin Aitchison (trumpet & vocals); Franco Valussi (clarinet & vocals); Steve Andrews (clarinet, tenor saxophone & baritone saxophone); Roly Veitch (guitar) & Alan Rudd (double bass) + Olive Rudd (vocals) & Neville Sarony (vocals)
(Review by Russell)
A Zez Confrey tune to open proceedings; Stumbling written in 1922 (with thanks to Steve Andrews’ encyclopedic knowledge of the composers and musicians of the era!). This Blaydon Jazz Club gig, at the Black Bull as usual, was something of a departure in being a first ever lunchtime promotion. The unavailability of the room on the preferred Sunday evening necessitated the change, and fears of a low turn out were soon allayed as regulars rolled up bolstered by a large contingent from Hong Kong.

Blaydon Jazz Club supremo Roly Veitch extended an invitation to some friends to come along and play some tunes. Now an annual occasion, Hong Kong-based Colin Aitchison and Franco Valussi duly accepted, making a visit to Blaydon a top priority during their visit. Closer to home, a short hop over the Pennines reunited Cumbria-based Steve Andrews with Veitch, and closer still, Alan Rudd, based here on Tyneside, no doubt had time for a leisurely late breakfast. From Confrey to the Duke – Just Squeeze Me. Just perfect; small group swing, a purring rhythm section, impressive front line solos. A first vocal for trumpeter Aitchison; The Lady is a Tramp with his typical good time delivery, the smiles across the audience evidence of a good time being had by all.  A Franco Valussi feature – Memories of You – confirmed the class of the Italian clarinet maestro.

’S Wonderful was, it always is. Time for our first guest of the afternoon. Olive Rudd stepped up to sing Some of These Days, excellent stuff, we’d hear more from the Maine Street Jazzmen’s singer later. Fun time…Jeepers Creepers heard Colin and Franco sharing a mic…’where’d ya get those peepers?’ as Steve Andrews switched to clarinet to show he’s a match for Signor Valussi. Neville Sarony, of the Hong Kong touring party, joined the boys on the stand to ask: Do You Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans? Mr Sarony is a character; somewhere between a Valentino matinee idol and eloquent/elegant crooner. A ‘good value’ performer, Blaydon looks forward to the next time he’s in town. The first set closer, Oh, Lady Be Good, exemplified the afternoon’s choice material.

A choice of real ales, a decent pint of Guinness for some, a raffle generously supported by all, the interval flew by. With two master clarinetists in the house it was a fair bet that they’d have a bit of fun on a classic number and so it was Andrews and Valussi played Creole Love Call supported by . the ace string rhythm section of Messrs Veitch and Rudd. The other Rudd, vocalist Olive, made a return to the stage to give an energetic rendition of When You’re Smiling featuring Mr Rudd’s first rate bass playing. From Olive to Neville, with Andrews toting his baritone sax, Mr Sarony swore he could hear Buddy Bolden’s Blues drifting up the Tyne…yep, definitely! A sing-along Down by the River(Tyne)side engaged the audience, and a brief, unexpected interlude heard Steve Andrews in full flow reciting a poem in, as he said, a Sunderland-Gaelic accent including the line: Whoosh! Yer bugger. Aye, a class poetry reading here at the Black Bull’s literary salon! 
And so to the principal guest of the afternoon’s concert. Colin Aitchison, ever the jovial front man, on this gig he played, almost exclusively, muted trumpet. The exuberance, the joie de vivre, fine and dandy, but don’t be fooled, Aitchison is a class trumpet player. Squeezing notes, half notes, a plunger mute, the ex-pat Tynesider plays the kind of trumpet all too rarely heard these days. The vocals are always spot-on – less Louis on this session, more Aitchison – no more so than on It Don’t Mean a Thing with a two-clarinet support for good measure. A marvellous afternoon of jazz concluded with classic small combo swing – Swingin’ the Blues. Our Man in Hong Kong will return next year and when he does make sure you’re in town, you’re guaranteed to have a good time.
Photos.             
Russell.

2 comments :

Lance said...

Patti D mentioned to me, and I quote, "Oh yes, Roly sang Dear Bix at the Black Bull lunchtime session with Colin and Franco. I kind of requested it - just Roly, with guitar and bass. What a gorgeous number it is."
What a gorgeous number indeed. So sorry that I missed that.

LIz said...

love that number!

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