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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

17945 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 266 of them this year alone and, so far, 22 this month (April 8).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Wed 09: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 09: Tannery jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm.
Wed 09: Anatole Muster Trio @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £17.50., £12.50. concs.
Wed 09: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED?

Thu 10: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.CANCELLED!
Thu 10: Magpies of Swing @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £7.00. A Globe fundraiser (all proceeds to the venue).
Thu 10: Exhaust: Camila Nebbia/Kit Downes/Andrew Lisle @ Jesmond URC, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:30pm doors). £13.20., £11.00. JNE.
Thu 10: Jeremy McMurray & the Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Feat. guests Ray Dales & Jackie Summers.

Fri 11: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 11: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 11: John Rowland Trio: The Music of Ben Webster @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Rowland (tenor sax); Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass).
Fri 11: Imelda May @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 11: Shunyata Improvisation Group @ Cullercoats Watch House. 7:30-9:00pm. Free (donations).

Sat 12: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 12: Rob Heron & the Tea Pad Orchestra + House of the Black Gardenia + King Bees @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 6:30pm (doors). £18.00.
Sat 12: Bright Street Big Band @ Washington Arts Centre. 6:30pm. £12.00. Event includes swing dance taster session, DJ dance session. Bright Street Big Band on stage 7:30-8:15pm & 8:45-9:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Sat 12: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 12: Imelda May @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £42.20. SOLD OUT!
Sat 12: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 13: Daniel John Martin with Swing Manouche @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 13: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 13: Hejira: A Celebration of Joni Mitchell @ Wylam Brewery, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £22.50.
Sun 13: Wilkinson/Edwards/Noble + Chojnacki @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £13.20., £11.00. JNE.

Mon 14: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 14: Zoë Gilby Quintet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 15: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

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

Tuesday, November 14, 2017

Paul Gowland Quartet does Bird and the Noel Dennis Quartet does Miles @ Bridge Hotel, Newcastle, November 12

Paul Gowland (alto), Jeremy McMurray (piano), Alan Rudd (bass), Ian Hetherington (drums).
Noel Dennis (trumpet, flugelhorn), Paul Edis (piano), Andy Champion (bass), Richard Brown (drums).
(Review by Steve T/Photos courtesy of Ken Drew)
Even my long-suffering wife, with a trip to Hull the night before, Glasgow this coming Tuesday, and the balance of power shifting back to my first love - soul music - knew she didn't stand a chance of getting me out of this one.
She even drove, bringing her curious liking for Bird, her enforced familiarity with Miles and her love, respect and gratitude for his lordship. Bird, Miles and four pints of blonde ale: what's not to like? As it happened, nothing.
I've long admired Paul Gowland's playing from the other side of the Newcastle Jazz Café on jam nights. He kept his intros to a minimum, in the tradition of prickly leaders like Bird and Miles, and I long since stopped trying to rack my brains identifying the titles of particular pieces. I was along for the ride, having a ball with short pieces, concise and effective solos from the sidemen, all of whom acquitted themselves splendidly.
Even without a love of Jazz, why would anybody not want to watch and listen to this, and I'm pleased to report many did with all seats occupied.
It took me a long time to fully appreciate the magnificence of Bird - in fact I got Duke before Bird - but Miles was instant. Had I not got Miles straight off, I may never have got past Jazz-funk and Jazz-rock.
Straight into it with So What. Would Noel go with the album or the video? Neither, genius, Mr AC digging it, Paul's perfect comping and Richard's drumming solid throughout. Boplicity has become the Birth of the Cool selection of choice, after Miles and Quincy Jones chose it for Montreux, shortly after the death of Gil Evans and not long before Miles died. A tough one for a single horn I imagine, now on flugel with Paul giving sterling support.
Seven Steps to Heaven was followed by their legendary mash-up of Blue in Green and Bitches Brew. I'm privileged to have seen it by a trio (with Paul and Andy), a quintet (add Mark Williams (guitar) and Adrian Tilbrook (drums), and now a quartet and it's always incredible. 
UNI from Star People, an album I have as part of a box set but haven't got to yet, before Paul joined them for Miles, sometimes known as the album title Milestones, which can cause confusion as there's an old Bird and Miles piece called Milestones.
In another lifetime this was the only Miles track anyone I knew had heard, which p!$$ed me off no end, but such was the nature of the northern soul derived acid/jazz/dance scene of the eighties.
Jazz North East normally looks forward, but it was great for them to pay tribute to two of the genuine cornerstones of C20th music, and I hope they do similar events in the future.
Awesome, exceptional, incredible.
Steve T

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