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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 ...

April 2025.

Tue 08: ???

Wed 09: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 09: Tannery jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm.
Wed 09: Anatole Muster Trio @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £17.50., £12.50. concs.
Wed 09: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED?

Thu 10: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.CANCELLED!
Thu 10: Magpies of Swing @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £7.00. A Globe fundraiser (all proceeds to the venue).
Thu 10: Exhaust: Camila Nebbia/Kit Downes/Andrew Lisle @ Jesmond URC, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:30pm doors). £13.20., £11.00. JNE.
Thu 10: Jeremy McMurray & the Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Feat. guests Ray Dales & Jackie Summers.

Fri 11: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 11: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 11: John Rowland Trio: The Music of Ben Webster @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Rowland (tenor sax); Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass).
Fri 11: Imelda May @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 11: Shunyata Improvisation Group @ Cullercoats Watch House. 7:30-9:00pm. Free (donations).

Sat 12: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 12: Rob Heron & the Tea Pad Orchestra + House of the Black Gardenia + King Bees @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 6:30pm (doors). £18.00.
Sat 12: Bright Street Big Band @ Washington Arts Centre. 6:30pm. £12.00. Event includes swing dance taster session, DJ dance session. Bright Street Big Band on stage 7:30-8:15pm & 8:45-9:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Sat 12: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 12: Imelda May @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £42.20. SOLD OUT!
Sat 12: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 13: Daniel John Martin with Swing Manouche @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 13: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 13: Hejira: A Celebration of Joni Mitchell @ Wylam Brewery, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £22.50.
Sun 13: Wilkinson/Edwards/Noble + Chojnacki @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £13.20., £11.00. JNE.

Mon 14: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 14: Zoë Gilby Quintet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

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

Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Buck Clayton Legacy Band and Lady J @ Ushaw Jazz Festival 2017 - August 26














Alan Barnes (alto saxophone & clarinet), Dean Masser (tenor saxophone), Ian Smith (trumpet), Ian Bateman (trombone), JJ Vinton (piano), Alyn Shipton (double bass), Bobby Worth (drums) & Lady J (vocals)
(Review/photos courtesy of Russell)
The legendary, the erudite, the virtuosic, put them together and you’ve got yourself a headline act. Alyn Shipton travelled north with his renowned Buck Clayton Legacy Band, and for good measure, Lady J, to play the set piece concert at this year’s Ushaw Jazz Festival. A programme associated with Buck Clayton and Billie Holiday, performed by some of the best in the business, drew a large crowd to Ushaw’s imposing Exhibition Hall.
The band elected to play on the floor in front of the stage, not least because of the piano standing on the floor and no one was about to volunteer to attempt to move it onto the metre high stage! As members of the band assembled for a sound check, the absence of Germany’s Matthias Seuffert became apparent. It transpired that Seuffert was never scheduled to play the gig, and furthermore, Robert Fowler was engaged elsewhere. Stepping into the breach, Mr Dean Masser. Not a bad dep!

Small group Buck Clayton. Is there anything better? This concert presentation would feature Buck, Billie, and Johnny Hodges. Alyn Shipton’s ensemble clearly delights in playing the charts. A swing feel was present from beginning to end courtesy of the ace rhythm section (Messrs JJ Vinton, Alyn Shipton and Bobby Worth) and the four-strong frontline (Alan Barnes, Dean Masser, Ian Smith and Ian Bateman). Outer Drive, The Jeep is Jumpin’, Shady Side…faultless musicianship, and a debut appearance with the band for Dean Masser…one would never have known it.

Shipton introduced Lady J. A lady of mystery, her name shall remain a closely guarded secret. The Billie Holiday numbers came thick and fast – Back in Your Own Backyard, I’m a Fool to Want You, What a Little Moonlight Can Do. Bobby Worth’s brushes on the first of the tunes a masterclass, the clarinet of Barnesy to the fore on the second, and the band cookin’ on the third. Lady J sang These Foolish Things with rhythm section accompaniment, horns resting.

The interval consensus: Five star! In the refectory: a quickfire double quip from Alan Barnes. As the man walked passed on his way to the bar Don’t get up! Inquiring as to the whereabouts of Matthias Seuffert He’s been sectioned!

Johnny Hodges/Alan Barnes opened the second set with Sweet as Bear Meat…small group swing at its best. Lady J returned to sing Good Morning Heartache, Barnes’ clarinet intro set up tenor sax dep Dean Masser on Do Nothin’ Til You Hear from Me and Lady J, with white gardenia in her hair,  singing I Hear Music. Affable trumpeter Ian Smith provided superb accompaniment to Lady J, not least on God Bless the Child, and the Buck Clayton Legacy Band closed the concert with My Old Flame and Billie/Lady J singing I Cover the Waterfront.
Russell.                          

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