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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

18037 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 458 of them this year alone and, so far, 36 this month (June 11).

From This Moment On ...

JUNE 2025

Sun 15: Lewis Watson Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 15: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 15: Pasadena Roof Orchestra @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:00pm.
Sun 15: Under the Wellie @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 15: Hannah Brine Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 16: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club (1:00pm). Free.
Mon 16: Giles Strong Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 17: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 18: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 18: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:30pm. Free. Concert performance (open to the public)..
Wed 18: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 19: Gareth John & the SOS Big Band @ The Forum Music Centre, Darlington. 7:00pm. £25.00.

Fri 20: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 20: David Gray's Flextet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 20: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. £21.50. ‘Time After Time’.br/> Fri 20: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm.
Fri 20: King Bees @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. Superb Chicago blues band.

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.

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

Saturday, November 25, 2017

Blues and Art of Chicago.

(Observations by Steve T)
Some people think American skyscrapers are ugly, but I find them amazing and Chicago more so than New York - real fantasy/sci-fi stuff. Chicago seems a long way to go for a concert, but the Windy City was on my bucket-list anyway, alongside San Fran, New Orleans, Boston and Vegas. The city that gave the world electric blues and Curtis Mayfield, who many think will ultimately be considered one of the finest human beings who ever lived.
We were left with a trek to the three gigs, two of which we did entirely by taxis, but by a stroke of luck, were literally around the corner from Buddy Guy's world-famous club - Legends.
A similar walk in the other direction found us at the Art Institute of Chicago, with the most incredible collection of Impressionism and Modern Art, including multiple famous pieces by masters including Picasso, Braque, Cezanne, Gaugin, Van Gogh, Monet, Manet, Degas, Renoir, Seurat, Matisse and Dali.
Parallels are often made between Modern Art, particularly Picasso, and Modern Classical Music, particularly Stravinsky, but comparisons also extend to Jazz - Gerry Mulligan and Ben Webster spring to mind - and I found it a fitting backdrop to a weekend of Jazz.
When BB died, the mainstream pop/rock media promptly proclaimed Buddy Guy the greatest living blues artist, but I thought he became that when Muddy Waters died in the early eighties, or maybe when Albert King died a few years later. If you judge it by music, and I would suggest you should, Buddy has had a run of albums since which are unparalleled in blues, which may just make him the greatest ever.   
Luckily there was nothing on at Legends on the evenings, as it has a strict over twenty-ones policy, but on Friday afternoon Fruteland Jackson entertained us with his Strat, harmonica and (small s) soulful voice on a mix of classics and originals. Unfortunately, Mike Wheeler, a great guitarist with a large S soulful voice had to cancel on the Saturday and Fruteland got to do it all again.
On Friday night I popped in for a couple and caught an indeterminate multicultural six piece of drums, bass, keys, guitar and voice with a sax/ trumpet horn section for some blues covers and originals, and covers of famous soul hits.
Lots of guitars, pictures and paraphernalia around the walls and some of the staff were keen to talk about their boss, the blues and Black Music. Others were just after your money. I had thought it might be a bit touristy, like Ronnie Scott's, but it's a great club and would be fantastic with a real blues artist playing to real blues enthusiasts.
Like Chicago and USA, it's all about contradictions and I found I loved things and loathed things, often simultaneously and sometimes for the same reason.
Steve T

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