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Bebop Spoken There

George Porter Jr.: ''To me, syncopation is like jazz. It wasn't meant for the masses. It was meant just for a hip few". (DownBeat, May 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

18043 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 364 of them this year alone and, so far, 42 this month (May 15).

From This Moment On ...

MAY 2025

Sun 18: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 12 noon-2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 18: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 18: Ruth Lambert & Giles Strong @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 18: Steve Summers Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 19: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 19: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 20: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, Bailey Rudd.
Tue 20: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Pleased to Meet You, Bridge St., Morpeth NE61 1ND. 8:00pm.

Wed 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 21: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public). b Wed 21: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 22: Nuevo Castillo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £5.00.
Thu 22: Anna Reay & Deon Krishnan @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:30-9:15pm. Free.
Thu 22: Pedal Point Trio @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 23: Dean Stockdale Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. ‘Celebrating Oscar’.
Fri 23: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 23: Anna Reay & Deon Krishnan @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: Joe Steels Group @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £10.00. + £1.55. bf. A Northumberland Jazz Festival fringe event.
Fri 23: Spilt Milk @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 23: Gaz Hughes Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm.
Fri 23: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 8:00pm. £19.00.; £17.00. ‘Time After Time’.

Sat 24: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:15pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 24: Tyne Valley Big Band @ Bywell Hall, Stocksfield. 1:30pm. Northumberland County Show.
Sat 24: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 24: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ The Peacock, Sunderland. 6:00pm.
Sat 24: Dean Stockdale Quartet + Mingus Sings @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:00pm. Admission: see website: www.queenshall.co.uk. Stockdale (piano); Tim Williams (guitar); Gavin Barras (double bass); Gaz Hughes (drums) + Mingus Sings: Sara Oschlag (vocals); Alan Barnes (reeds); Tim Lapthorn (piano); Arnie Somogyi (double bass); Clark Tracey (drums). A Northumberland Jazz Festival event.
Sat 24: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 24: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Sat 24: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £3.00. + bf.
Sat 24: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

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, July 05, 2017

Jazz Café Jam Session - July 4











(Review by Lance).
Harrison, Grainger and Walker kicked things off with Sister Sadie and I said, "Brother, it can't get any better than this!"
Maybe it did, maybe it didn't, whatever, the quality remained, but the quantity multiplied. After a Wonderful version of For Once in my Life the jammers began to emerge. First up was a fiddling friend from my music shop past life - Andy Lawrenson who felt his way around Nature Boy before launching into a stunning After You've Gone. Lawrenson and Harrison seemed to be on the same wavelength and the sparks flew.
Ben Helm joined the group for All of Me playing a nice chordal solo that brought the likes of Carl Cress and Dick McDonough to mind. The number culminated with a series of fours that became twos between Walker and Harrison.
Arthur Higgins was featured on Tenor Madness before giving way to Belinda Voshtina who invited us to Bésame Mucho then cooled us off with Água de Beber - Matthew Fairhurst drummed sympathetically continuing the tradition of having at least one Matthew behind the kit at these Tuesday [alternate] jams.
Paul Gowland, armed with Conn underslung alto, entered the fray and Dave McKeague took control of the drums. No relief bassists in tonight so Grainger soldiered on bravely. Here's That Rainy Day, a reference to the weather, the chosen test piece and all came through without the need of an umbrella.
More vocals, this time from Paul Skerritt. Skerritt and Harrison, who are regular musical compadres, were joined by 'Blue Hat' for Cheek to Cheek and Georgia on my Mind.
Caravan, I think, brought us up to the break - I think (It may have been earlier or later!)
One of the nice things about jam sessions is the surprises they throw up. Tonight was no exception when a young woman making her debut also made an impression with Beyond the Sea and At Last.
I hope she returns as it will be interesting to note her progress. The 'woman' in question was one Emily Ramsdale who's only 15 and this was her first ever public performance - a star in the making!
Julija Jaicenaite is fast becoming a regular at the Caff and she didn't disappoint with Misty and There Will Never be Another You. Arthur Higgins put his tenor down and took over on piano whilst Harrison moved in on drums! I'm beginning to think James plays more instruments than Paul Edis!
Walker returned for Wave.



Skerritt reaffirmed the Ellington maxim that It Don't Mean a Thing if it Ain't Got That Swing, the three saxes impressed on Sunny before the finale which was Let the Good Times Roll with a growly tenor intro from Higgins and a seven shades of .... drum solo from Walker to bring the evening to a satisfactory close.
This had been a great old style jam session with most of the players staying on board for the duration.
Lance.
 James Harrison (piano/drums); Paul Grainger (bass); Rob Walker (drums) + Andy Lawrenson (violin); Ben Helm (guitar); Matthew Fairhurst (drums); Arthur Higgins (tenor/piano); Belinda Voshtina (vocal); Johnny 'Blue Hat' Davis (tenor); Emily Runsdale (vocal); Dave McKeague (drums); Paul Gowland (alto); Julija Jaicenaite (vocal); Paul Skerritt (vocal).
Some nice F/b comments that modesty forbids me to print.

1 comment :

Lance said...

Apologies for getting Emily's surname wrong [now corrected] us Geordies can't always understand the Teesside dialect. However, in the future I don't think we'll ever get her name wrong again!

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