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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 ...

MARCH 2025.

Wed 02: Lauren Bush: The Jazz Singer’s Toolkit @ The Pele, Corbridge. 1:00-4:00pm. Vocalist Lauren Bush with pianist Jamil Sheriff presents a jazz singing workshop. £40.00. (inc. evening concert, see below). Registration required for workshop: www.laurenbushjazz.com. All ability levels welcome.
Wed 02: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 02: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 2:30-4:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Wed 02: Lauren Bush & Jamil Sheriff @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00-9:00pm. £10.00. Concert performance. Tickets: www.laurenbushjazz.com.
Wed 02: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 02: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE! See website for updates: www.theglobenewcastle.bar.

Thu 03: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Women in Jazz.
Thu 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 03: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. A Tees Hot Club promotion. First Thursday in the month.

Fri 04: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 04: Ruth Lambert Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Fri 04: Tom McGuire & the Brassholes @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00.
Fri 04: Nicolas Meier’s Infinity Group + Spirit of Jeff Beck @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm.

Sat 05: Tenement Jazz Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 05: Sleep Suppressor @ Head of Steam, Newcastle. 5:30-6:00pm.
Sat 05: King Bees @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Raymond MacDonald & Jer Reid @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 6:00-9:30pm. £7.72., £1.00. (minimum donation). MacDonald & Reid + Objections + Yotuns.
Sat 05: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Kamasi Washington @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £33.00.
Sat 05: Vermont Big Band @ The Seahorse, Whitley Bay. 7:30pm. Tickets: £10.00 (from the venue).
Sat 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 06: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 06: Learning & Participation Showcase @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm (1:00pm doors). Free. Featuring participants from Play More Jazz! Play More Folk! Blue Jam Singers & more.
Sun 06: Joe Steels Group @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Ferg Kilsby, Joe Steels, Ben Lawrence, Paul Susans, John Hirst.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Hooch, Quayside, Newcastle. 6:00pm.
Sun 06: Leeway @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 07: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 08: ???

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, September 25, 2017

Late Night Jazz – Hexham Abbey Festival of Music and Arts, September 23: The Nikki Iles/Stan Sulzmann Quartet.

Nikki Iles – piano; Stan Sulzmann  - Tenor Saxophone; Pete Turner – Bass; Luke Flowers - Drums
(Review by Hugh C/Photo courtesy of Stu Taylor of Credere Media).
It was with strains of Gabriel Fauré's  In Paradisum from the evening's performance of his Requiem by the Festival Chorus and Orchestra that I ascended from the Abbey itself via the Late Night Stairs to the Great Hall in an adjoining building.  Comfortable chairs were set out in neat rows with a few early bird punters already seated prior to the official opening time of 10pm.  Members of the festival chorus and orchestra, bow ties loosened or removed headed, justifiably, to the well-stocked bar.  The gig was scheduled for a 10.30 start.  In the absence of a convenient green room Nikki Iles and Stan Sulzmann were seated patiently to one side, adjacent to the piano, talking; Pete Turner was checking his bass and amplification system and Luke Flowers using the drum stool as a silent practise pad.
The Late Night Jazz session was something of a coup for Festival co-director Martin Hughes who had managed to persuade Nikki Iles that Hexham was only slightly further North than Scarborough where the Quartet had played a lunchtime gig that afternoon at the Jazz Festival.  The move was repaid with a near capacity crowd of approximately one hundred souls.  As is often the case in these circumstances the front row of seats on each side was empty and I was able to pick the best seat in the house.  This also meant I was in a position to have a brief word with Nikki and Stan before the gig.
At 10.30, as scheduled, the band took their places in the performance space (no stage) at the end of the hall.  A quality Kawai piano, lid raised, awaited Iles fingertips.  A microphone placed over the piano strings did not appear to be working – all the better, perhaps.  Apart from the bass mic, the band played completely unplugged and were richly rewarded by the resonant acoustic of the room.

The Quartet opened with Kenny Werner's Compensation.  Sulzmann's full tenor sound dominated initially followed by solos from Iles' piano and Turner's bass.  This sequence more or less set the pattern for the evening.  Come Rain or Come Shine followed, beautifully delivered by Sulzmann's mellow tenor.  Drummer Luke Flowers (depping for the advertised Dave Walsh, who was unable to make the gig due to ill health) was allowed off the leash during this number in short bursts, interspersed by melodic ensemble playing, a very effective form of drum solo, I find.  The announcements between tracks were shared between Stan Sulzmann and Nikki Iles.  It was now Nikki's turn to announce that the next number was from Gershwin's Porgy and Bess:  “My Man's Gone Now” drew an audible “ahhhh” from the audience – to which Sulzmann immediately quipped “Good riddance!”  Solo piano commenced the number with progressive addition of selected bass notes and a rhythmic tapping on the cymbal using the base of the brush handle and finally we were away with the quartet in full swing.

After a short interval allowing replenishment of glasses we were treated to Too Young to Go Steady - equally applicable to all members of the band, as Stan Sulzmann wryly observed.  During this piece we were treated to an exposition of New Orleans style, second line drumming.  This was followed by Nobody Else but Me, allegedly the last tune written by Jerome Kern.  A fine extended bass solo from Pete Turner during this piece.  We were now nearing the witching hour when the licence declared NO MUSIC!  There ensued some discussion as to what the quartet would finish with.  Body and Soul was suggested; a few valedictory words from Festival co-director, Martin Hughes thanked the band and the audience and then we were off into a rip-roaring Ladies in Mercedes (Steve Swallow)  - short solos all round, Sulzmann pointing at drummer, Luke Flowers to remind Nikki Iles to leave him a bit of space.  And then it was all over, a fantastic evening:  short, but very sweet – fine musicians, and such nice people too!
Hugh C.

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