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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

17755 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 76 of them this year alone and, so far, 1 this month (Feb.1).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Tue 04: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, North St., Ferryhill DL17 8HX. 7:00pm. Free.
Tue 04: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Ben Phillips, Paul Grainger, Bailey Rudd.
Tue 04: Dilutey Juice + Life Aquatics Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Wed 05: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 05: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 05: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 06: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 06: Lewis Watson Quartet @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 06: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Latin jazz/top-rated dance bands.
Thu 06: Rose Room @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Thu 06: Mostly Moonlight @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Helen Barber (vocals) & Alex Moon (piano).
Thu 06: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. Guests: Richie Emmerson (tenor sax); Donna Hewitt (alto sax); Kevin Eland (trumpet); Graham Thompson (keys); Ron Smith (bass). 8:30pm. Free. A Tees Hot Club promotion. The session is now monthly, first Thursday in the month.

Fri 07: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 07: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 07: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ Old Lowlight, Clifford’s Fort, North Shields NE30 1JE. 7:00pm. £15.00. + bf. www.oldlowlight.co.uk. SOLD OUT!
Fri 07: Stuart Turner Trio @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Jazz, blues, Americana etc.
Fri 07: Dean Stockdale Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Fri 07: Rose Room @ Wylam Institute. 8:00pm. £19.67.
Fri 07: John Rowland Quartet @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 08: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 08: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 08: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 08: Lewis Watson Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 08: Anth Purdy @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. ‘Swing Jazz Guitar’.
Sat 08: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A Newcastle University Jazz Orchestra event. All welcome.

Sun 09: Glenn Miller & Big Band Spectacular @ The Forum, Billingham. 3:00pm.
Sun 09: The New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Tom Remon & Mark Williams @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 09: Rod Oughton’s Tomorrow’s New Quartet with Ben van Helder @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Line-up inc. Deschanel Gordon.
Sun 09: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 10: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

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 09, 2017

Farewell to Glen Campbell and Barbara Cook.














The lights will be dimmed in Nashville and on Broadway tonight in tribute to the passing of two legends from two very different genres who both died yesterday (August 8)
Glen Campbell is best remembered for his hits from the 1970's that included Wichita Lineman, Galveston, By the Time I Get to Phoenix and Rhinestone Cowboy. Country songs that were as comfortable in the pop charts of the day as they were on Grand Ol' Opry. As well as being a fine country singer, Campbell was no mean guitarist - you had to be in Nashville - and he played guitar on Sinatra's Strangers in the Night. Like yesterday's other departure, Campbell also struggled with alcohol (and drug) problems but he overcame them and they haven't tarnished his memory.
That memory was kept alive at this year's SummerTyne Americana, held, as always, at Sage Gateshead where Glen's youngest daughter Ashley Campbell and her band played a support set to Merle Haggard's Strangers. Reading Ann Alex's write-up, I got the impression the billing should have been reversed. Ashley, reported Ann, commented on her dad's Alzheimer's before singing Gentle on my Mind. Now, 17 days later he's gone - he was 81.
Rest In Peace.  
Barbara Cook was another legend who passed away yesterday and, like Campbell, had an alcohol affected career. A Broadway star in the 1950's receiving a Tony award for her role in The Music Man
she appeared in many more Broadways smashes as well playing straight roles on television. A critic wrote of her, many years later: "The world is usually divided into actresses who try to sing and singers who try to act. Cook is one of the few performers who manage to combine the best of both traditions."
It looked like her career was over when the alcohol took hold and binge eating caused her to become obese. However, after befriending composer and pianist Wally Harper he persuaded her to put on a concert at Carnegie Hall. This was so successful they did another (of which I have the CD) and the rest is history. The second concert was predominantly the songs of Stephen Sondheim and, from then on she became synonymous with his work.
A Broadway legend who will be sadly missed.
Barbara Cook was 89.
Lance
Vanilla Ice Cream (see comment by Liz)

2 comments :

Liz said...

I loved Barbara Cook. I saw her live many years ago, it was either at the Donmar or the Menier Chocolate factory in London. Both are ideal venues for her type of intimate revue. It was just her & Wally Harper, her accompanist. I was enthralled by her singing and acting. The one song with which I associate her is "Ice cream, Vanilla ice cream" it is from a show called " She Loves Me" which has since been reprised many times. This show, with which she took the lead in the far off Soubrette days, belongs to her, and her only. Such a talent! RIP wonderful lady!

Steve T said...

Campbell is the only male c+w singer I've come across who I have any time for. His final album, knowingly and poignantly titled 'Adios', has a CD of hits and one of new stuff.
'Rhinestone Cowboy' is a perfect popsong to rival 'Dancing Queen'. I played it for an elderly neighbour and his face lit up; 'they don't make em like this any more' I observed, 'in fact they'll probably never make them like this again'.
As a soul fan, Isaac Hayes' 19 min version of 'By the time I get to Pheonix' is supposed to be the ultimate version, but I confess to preferring Campbells, though William Bell, who plays it straight, has the definitive version.
The other track that interested me was 'Gentle on my Mind', by far and away the best track I've ever heard by Maddy Peyroux. I knew his version immediately but hadn't connected them as hers is a spine-tingling ballad while his is a an upbeat, uptempo romp.
Haven't heard the new stuff yet but there's a version of Willie Nelsons 'Funny How Time Slips Away' which I can't believe he hasn't already recorded, and is always worth a listen.
Yip, he was one of the good guys and, as Lance observed, a serious guitarist.

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