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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

17777 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 98 of them this year alone and, so far, 23 this month (Feb.8).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Sun 16: MOBO Song @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 12 noon. Free, performances on the concourse. Line-up inc. Jazz Attack (on stage time TBC) & Jambone (12:20pm).
Sun 16: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 16: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: BBC Introducing NE X MOBO Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Jambone, Knats, Rivkala, SwanNek.
Sun 16: The Shayo Experience @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 16: Gerry Richardson Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. .

Mon 17: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 17: Matt Forster Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance.
Mon 17: Russ Morgan Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law, Paul Grainger, John Hirst.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Jazz Milestones - 1975.
Thu 20: Renegade Brass Band @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 20: Orange Claw Hammer + Peony @ The Globe, Newcastle.7:30pm. Orange Claw Hammer play Captain Beefheart.
Thu 20: Jeremy McMurray & the Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Featuring special guest Zoë Gilby.

Fri 21: JazzMain @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 21: Joe Steels Trio @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £10.00. TBC.
Fri 21: Emma Rawicz w. Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30pm-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 22: Mississippi MacDonald @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm. Blues.
Sat 22: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Old Cinema Laundrette, Durham. 7:45pm. £16.50. SOLD OUT!
Sat 22: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

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

Friday, October 27, 2017

BABMUS: 6TEEN54 @ Jazz Café - October 26

Tom Dixon (alto saxophone), Jamie Jingles (guitar), Inês Gonçalves (piano & vocals), José Gonçalves (bass) & Ben Fitzgerald (drums)
(Review by Russell)
6TEEN54, a one-off quintet comprising BABMUS students, an alumnus, and a visiting bass player from Portugal played to an enthusiastic crowd at the Jazz Café in Newcastle. Bearpark (that’s Tom Bearpark and friends) have established a regular Sage Gateshead music students’ gig in the Caff’s upstairs room and it was heartening to see students and friends supporting this one-time-only gig.
Bearpark front man Tom Dixon did the talking; the set list would range from Jobim to GAS Book to Coltrane together with a brace of original compositions. The performance opened (and would later close) with a duet between father and daughter. BABMUS piano and vocal student Inês Gonçalves sang Jobim’s Dindi accompanied by father José playing six-string electric bass. Señor Gonçalves, welcome to Newcastle! For the most part, our visitor from Portugal took a back seat, happy to hear Inês and her fellow students take centre stage. How High the Moon sang Inês with Tom Dixon on alto taking a first solo of the evening. TD has been busy composing tunes and two of them were to be given a world premiere! The true tale of having alcohol confiscated at the door of a local music venue (a well-known lager brand secreted upon the person) yielded the title of Tom Dixon’s Secret Stella. In part, a Latin groove, guitarist Jamie Jingles (aka…it’s a secret!) impressed, and drummer Ben Fitzgerald, playing his first ever jazz gig, took it home. A new experience for Ben, and credit to the young man, he played the entire set with brushes. Dolphin Dance, and Inês singing (in English and first language Portuguese!) The Girl from Ipanema, rounded off an intriguing first set.

The second set opened with a tune the title of which Tom Dixon wasn’t sure about. Suffice to say it was in Portuguese. The soloists – Jamie and José – spoke a familiar musical language. Perhaps the highlight of the evening was Coltrane’s Equinox. Inês and José the foundation, Tom took off Trane-like, and Jamie, playing without a pick, developed a superior solo, Tom then taking it out. Excellent!
Tom Dixon’s Me-Mow (a female cat, of the cartoon variety, wouldn’t you know?) featured Jamie as he took his time, producing another rounded solo, with Tom taking it (the tune, not the cat) by the scruff of the neck as he played some more great alto. 
 
This BABMUS special – thank you Inês, thank you Señor Gonçalves – ended as it began…father and daughter together (see photo) with Inês singing You Don’t Know What Love Is.          
Russell

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