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Bebop Spoken There

Van Morrison: ''Basically, I'm coming from jazz. Not pop, not rock, not what's commercial. That's where I started, and that's still where I am. I feel the same as I did when I was listening to Louis Armstrong, Lead Belly, Jelly Roll Morton''. (The Northern Echo, 12 June 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

1803759 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 480 of them this year alone and, so far, 58 this month (June 18).

From This Moment On ...

JUNE 2025

Sat 21: Jason Holcomb Jazz Ensemble @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 5:30-7:30pm. Free. A 'Sunderland Year of Music' event.
Sat 21: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 21: Red Kites Jazz @ Staithes Café, Dunston. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Sat 21: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 22: Phoenix 4 @ Wallington, Northumberland. 12 noon-1:00pm & 2:00-3:00pm. Tel: 01670 773606. National Trust admission prices apply. ‘Tunes in the Blooms’.
Sun 22: Lapwing Trio @ Wallington, Northumberland. 1:00-2:00pm. Tel: 01670 773606. National Trust admission prices apply. ‘Tunes in the Blooms’.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Jason Isaacs Trio @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 4:00pm. £18.00. + £1.08 bf.
Sun 22: JazzMain @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 23: MSK Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance.
Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club (1:00pm). Free.

Tues 24: ???

Wed 25: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 25: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 25: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 25: The Magpies of Swing @ The Roxy, Leadgate, Co. Durham. 7:30pm. A Ginger Jitterbugs swing dance event, all welcome.

Thu 26: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Brass Instruments & the use of mutes.

Fri 27: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm.
Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 27: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 8:00pm. ‘Time After Time’.

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, August 21, 2017

Paul Edis Trio @ Blaydon Jazz Club - August 20

Paul Edis (piano), Andy Champion (double bass) & Russ Morgan (drums) + Francis Tulip (guitar)
(Review by Russell/Photos courtesy of Roly Veitch).

Hello. Is that London’s world-famous jazz club?
Yes. How can I help you?
I know it sold out weeks ago, but, do you have any returns for tonight’s concert?
You’re in luck. We’ve just had a pair of tickets returned to the box office.
Great! I’ll take them.
That’ll be £25 per ticket plus our usual exorbitant booking fee.
That’s fine, it’s worth it to hear the Paul Edis Trio!

Meanwhile, ‘up north’, Blaydon Jazz Club secured the booking of the Paul Edis Trio for a modest fee, and the Black Bull faithful turned out, willingly paying the modest admission charge, knowing they were in for a treat. The trio was in full rehearsal mode long before the audience arrived. New material was to be premiered here on Tyneside, London would have to wait.
Whiskers for starters. Swift it was. Pianist Paul Edis subsequently apologised to Andy Champion and Russ Morgan, suggesting it was ‘a bit mean’ calling it as a first number! Edis added, ‘I knew they could do it’. The ‘whiskers’ referred, by way of Ellington, to Morgan’s brushes. Masterful. The new, and new-ish material, went down well; Snakes and Ladders, compositions inspired by Tyne and Wear’s light railway Metro network - The Coast and The Long Way Round - and It Ain’t Broke, a bluesy, lazy swing-feel chart recalling Ray Bryant or Junior Mance with bassist Champion taking a superb solo (nothing new there) and a round of fours taking it out. A Night in Tunisia raced along, the commissioned For Kathleen and Lucky took it down before Edis chose to close the set with the apposite Relentless. It was. Terrific.

Blaydon’s ‘best of jazz’ policy received the thumbs up from all present. The second set couldn’t be any better, could it? You Stepped Out of a Dream, Falling In Love with Love. Brilliant piano playing, and on the latter number (Rodgers and Hammerstein), Morgan, a most musical drummer, crafted a fine solo. From time to time a guest will be invited to sit-in on a couple of numbers. Well, an Early Bird alumnus was in the house. Currently studying at Birmingham Conservatoire, guitarist Francis Tulip joined the trio to play Alone Together (Schwartz and Dietz) and Blue Monk
Tulip, standing on the floor in front of the compact stage, ran through the changes with consummate ease on the first number and on Monk’s standard the augmented trio exchanged solos for fun. Tulip certainly didn’t out stay his welcome. Bandleader Edis suggested Donna Lee. Tulip: Yeah. Great, party time! The thrill of four top-class players tearing it up, just like that! It was time to go, but not before the Paul Edis Trio closed proceedings with the bandleader’s When All is Said and Done. Top class jazz on Tyneside, just the job.  
Russell
Hello. Is that Blaydon Jazz Club?
Yes.
When are you going to book the Paul Edis Trio again?
Well, you can hear the trio working with Vasilis Xenopoulos on October 22nd.
Vas who?
Xenopoulos. He’s a London-based tenor player.
Oh. Can I book in advance?
No, just pay on the door, but do arrive early as a full house is anticipated.
Right, I’ll be there.
Blaydon Photos.

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