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Bebop Spoken There

Steve Coleman: ''If you don't keep learning, your mind slows down. Use it or lose it''. (DownBeat, January 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

17733 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 53 of them this year alone and, so far, 53 this month (Jan. 20).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Graham Hardy Eclectic Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 26: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 26: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:30pm. Free.
Sun 26: Gratkowski, Tramontana, Beresford, Affifi @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.
Sun 26: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 27: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 27: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 28: ???

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Thu 30: Matters Unknown (aka Jonathan Enser, Nubiyan Twist) + support TBA @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £12.22 (gig & food); £9:04 (gig only).
Thu 30: Soznak @ The Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 30: Struggle Buggy @ Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Rhythm & blues.

Fri 31: Alan Barnes Quartet @ The Old Library, Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 12 noon-2:00pm (two sets). £12.00. admission (card or cash at the door). Barnes (alto sax, baritone sax, clarinet); Alan Law (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums). Note change of venue, no longer at Mrs M’s as advertised, the concert will be in the Old Library (Bishop Auckland Jazz’s regular venue). Important! It’s a ‘BYOB’ arrangement - ie bring your own booze (and/or tea, coffee, soft drinks).
Fri 31: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 31: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 31: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 31: Café Orkestar @ Café Under the Spire, Gateshead. 6:00pm. ‘Klezmer, Gypsy Jazz, Balkan & More!’.
Fri 31: Nothing in Rambling @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £10.00. + bf. Country blues duo.
Fri 31 Zoë Gilby Quartet @ Wylam Institute. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £15.00. + £1.50. bf.
Fri 31: Creakin’ Bones & the Sunday Dinners @ White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £10.00 + bf. Jazz, blues , jump jive, rock ‘n’ roll.
Fri 31: Alan Barnes Quartet @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £15.00 Barnes (alto sax, baritone sax, clarinet); Alan Law (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 31: SwanNek + Rivkala @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 8:00pm. SwanNek’s new single launch gig. Pilgrim, formerly Hoochie Coochie.

February 2025

Sat 01: Alan Barnes & John Hallam with the Tom Kincaid Trio @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 01: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £25.00. Tutor: Steve Glendinning - Cy Coleman’s Witchcraft. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 01: Darling Dollies @ St George’s Church, Jesmond, Newcastle. 3:00pm. £10.00. Vocal trio.
Sat 01: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 01: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 01: Rockin’ Turner Brothers @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Western swing etc.

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

Monday, July 10, 2017

Sotavento Big Band @ The Globe - July 9

Across the road, at the Metro Arena, the American punk rock band Blink 182 had attracted a host of fans, many of whom were having pre-concert drinks at The Globe. On stage at the Jazz Coop HQ, the Argentinian jazz tango group known as the Sotavento Big Band were ready to unleash their unique brand of swing.
The SBB replaces the conventional trombone section with three tenor saxes and the trumpet section with one tenor sax and two clarinets. It sounded strange hearing Basie's Splanky without the brass but by the time Jumping at the Woodside had been and gone our ears were accustomed to it.
Debra Milne, one of the Jazz Coop's guiding lights, joined the band for Lady is a Tramp and Black Coffee. Debra, who has an affinity for Latin music, was in typical voice only marred by the uneven sound balance - a problem that plagued the whole evening - and I was sitting at the front!
The pure jazz was done for this set and the tango took over and with it the dancers.
Tanguera was a delightful mix of tango and jazz with the latter proving quite sensual for the dancers.
Vocalist Patricia Leguizamon stepped up for City Tango, Romance de Barrio and Nada. Lovely voice but, again, the balance didn't do her any favours.
Intermission.

Upstairs there was more tangoing.
Downstairs the second set kicked off with Patricia singing S'Wonderful, Bye Bye Blackbird and Sweet Georgia Brown. There was some twiddling going on at the mixing desk which made for marginal improvement, but only marginal.
Back to the tango and Años de Soledad; La Oportunidad; Lluvia de Estrellas; La Trampera and La Arenosa brought the show to a close except it didn't! The audience demanded and got not one but two encores - Volveras Signoras a San Juan (I think!) and Libertango.
Director and alto saxist Firmenich wailed on alto with lots of bluesy overtones. Sisneros impressed on clarinet and the rhythm section was on fire. There were also tenor solos although I wasn't sure who was who. Patricia I've already mentioned; she looked good and sounded good, at least from the front row!
Despite the sound problems, it was Una noche muy especial!
Photos.
Lance
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Director
Gustavo FIRMENICH

Línea de Saxos
Gustavo FIRMENICH (Saxo Alto)
Andres VELTRI (Saxo Tenor)
Miguel BENSADÓN (Saxo Tenor)

Línea de Trompetas 

Sergio CISNEROS (Clarinete)
Florencia CRNKO (Clarinete)
Horacio BALDASSARRE (Saxo Tenor)

Línea de Trombones
Fernando CASTEL (Saxo Tenor)
Duilio GIRI (Saxo Tenor)
Sergio RISOLI (Saxo Tenor)

Sección Rítmica
Fernando CRESPO (batería) 
Ezequiel ANGELERI (guitarra)
Cristian COR (bajo)
Enrique GALLO CALDERON (piano)

Voz
Patricia LEGUIZAMÓN

1 comment :

Patti D (on F/b) said...

Excellente, Señor Lance Liddle! And this other Patricia enjoyed this unique mucho especiale noche - with excuses for badly remembered Espanol!

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