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Bebop Spoken There

Trevor Mires: ''My mum is a Dean Martin fan: I'm not, so I would grab my skateboard and get out of the house whenever I heard "Everybody Loves Somebody, Sometime." ". (Jazzwise, 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

17972 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 293 of them this year alone and, so far, 49 this month (April 22).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Wed 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 23: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 23: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED!

Thu 24: Mary Coughlan @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £33.80. Blues, jazz etc.
Thu 24: Darlington Big Band @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 25: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT! Duo performance.
Fri 25: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 25: Andrea Vicari Trio @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. Vicari (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); Russ Morgan (drums).
Fri 25: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 25: Red Kites Jazz @ Land of Oak & Iron, Winlaton Mill. 6:00-9:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Fri 25: Struggle Buggy @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. Rhythm & blues.
Fri 25: Paul Skerritt Big Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £20.30., £18.00. All-star big band.
Fri 25: Andrea Vicari Trio @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Vicari (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); Russ Morgan (drums). An Opus 4 Jazz Club event.

Sat 26: Durham Alumni Big Band @ Number One Bar, Darlington. 12 noon. Free (donations).
Sat 26: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 26: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ Elvet Methodist Church, Durham. 7:30pm. Tickets: £12.00. + bf. Duo performance.
Sat 26: Neil Cowley Trio @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £22.50.
Sat 26: Pete Tanton & the Cuban Heels @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 27: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 27: Andrea Vicari Trio @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. Vicari (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Sun 27: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 27: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Xenopoulos, Edis, Paul Susans, Russ Morgan.
Sun 27: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 27: JustKing Jones @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £17.50. JustKing Jones (alto sax, soprano sax); Jordan Williams (piano); Jason Clotter (bass); Malcolm Charles (drums). Ace NYC outfit!
Sun 27: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 27: Swing Manouche @ Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7:30pm. £15.00. Tickets from 01665 711388.
Sun 27: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Xenopoulos, Edis, Ken Marley, Russ Morgan.

Mon 28: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 29: ???

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

In Other Words @ Tynemouth Station Christmas Market - November 25

Alex Thompson (alto saxophone), Nathan Lawson (guitar) & Dylan Thompson (drums)
(Review by Russell)
Tynemouth Station Christmas Market. Yes, November isn’t out, yet the Santa hats were out in numbers. The weekend market on either side of the Metro line is as popular as ever and today there was an added incentive to catch a train from Newcastle to the coast – In Other Words, in Santa and bobble hats themselves, were entertaining late morning visitors to a bustling market.
In Other Words (think Fly Me to the Moon) are Alex Thompson, alto, Nathan Lawson, guitar and Dylan Thompson, drums. The chances are you’ve heard them without knowing their names. On Sage Gateshead’s concourse these young men have entertained the crowds in numerous band permutations – Jazz Attack, JB’s Cats (that’s James Birkett’s young charges), Jambone (the big band based at Sage Gateshead) and the Early Bird Band to name but four.   

Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow! (please no, Christmas Eve will be soon enough!). Alex and Nathan donned Santa hats, Dylan a snazzy bobble hat. Beyond the Sea (not too far as the crow flies), Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas – the trio knew what to play, Christmas songs even though November isn’t out. In Other Words can’t help playing some jazz, it’s what they do, given the chance. Herbie Hancock’sWatermelon Man is a favourite, similarly Georgia. Alex played as well as ever, be it ballad tempo (Georgia) or a full steam ahead Caravan. Brother Dylan has the Juan Tizol/Duke Ellington drum part down to a tee. Metro passengers to and from trains stopped by to listen. One couple said: The alto player and drummer are really good, and the left-handed guitarist can play. The couple have ears.

The guitarist, the one who can play, is Nathan Lawson. The Gretsch-playing young man featured on Christmas Time is Here. Lots of Joe Pass-like stuff going on here. Marvellous. Remember it’s Christmas time…almost. Rudolph the Red Reindeer (all together now…), the trio’s signature tune, Fly me to the Moon and a reprise of Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow! The lads can play, that’s for sure. They played for a fee, rightly, and they made more than a couple of bob with not one but two strategically placed collection buckets. A pleasant, if cold, hour and a quarter, be sure to check out In Other Words   

Russell

6 comments :

Ken D said...

Nice to find out who these young players were. I passed through the station soon after they started playing, and only had to stop briefly to hear how good they were, individually and as a 'band'. No doubt we'll see them popping up again - maybe at a local jam session ?? Nice one, despite it still being November ! :)

Russell said...

Ken, these young lads are veterans of the Jazz Cafe's jam session. There is the possibility that they could turn up at the last session of the year on Tuesday 19 December. It would be good to see you there.

Ken D said...

Ah ! Tnx Russell, good to hear !

Andrea said...

Great review Russell thank you!
Yes they do get around a bit these three although none of them can claim to have been members of Jazz Attack. Their other band is 'Paraffernalia', Gateshead Music Service's youth Big Band - Dylan past, Alex and Nathan still current members :)
Andrea

Russell said...

You're right Andrea, Paraffernalia is another of the bands! Will the band be competing at next year's Great North Big Band Jazz Festival, I wonder?

It's hard to believe that Jazz Attack wasn't/isn't one of their bands!

Andrea said...

Hopefully Paraffernalia will be there Russell.
Although we really could do with recruiting some new members as numbers in the band have really dwindled this year due to so many going off to university!

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