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Bebop Spoken There

George Porter Jr.: ''To me, syncopation is like jazz. It wasn't meant for the masses. It was meant just for a hip few". (DownBeat, May 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

18043 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 364 of them this year alone and, so far, 42 this month (May 15).

From This Moment On ...

MAY 2025

Mon 19: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 19: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 20: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, Bailey Rudd.
Tue 20: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Pleased to Meet You, Bridge St., Morpeth NE61 1ND. 8:00pm.

Wed 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 21: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public). b Wed 21: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 22: Nuevo Castillo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £5.00.
Thu 22: Anna Reay & Deon Krishnan @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:30-9:15pm. Free.
Thu 22: Pedal Point Trio @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 23: Dean Stockdale Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. ‘Celebrating Oscar’.
Fri 23: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 23: Anna Reay & Deon Krishnan @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: Joe Steels Group @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £10.00. + £1.55. bf. A Northumberland Jazz Festival fringe event.
Fri 23: Spilt Milk @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 23: Gaz Hughes Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm.
Fri 23: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 8:00pm. £19.00.; £17.00. ‘Time After Time’.

Sat 24: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:15pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 24: Tyne Valley Big Band @ Bywell Hall, Stocksfield. 1:30pm. Northumberland County Show.
Sat 24: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 24: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ The Peacock, Sunderland. 6:00pm.
Sat 24: Dean Stockdale Quartet + Mingus Sings @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:00pm. Admission: see website: www.queenshall.co.uk. Stockdale (piano); Tim Williams (guitar); Gavin Barras (double bass); Gaz Hughes (drums) + Mingus Sings: Sara Oschlag (vocals); Alan Barnes (reeds); Tim Lapthorn (piano); Arnie Somogyi (double bass); Clark Tracey (drums). A Northumberland Jazz Festival event.
Sat 24: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 24: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Sat 24: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £3.00. + bf.
Sat 24: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 25: Zoë Gilby & Andy Champion: Bandstand Sessions @ The Sele, Hexham. 12 noon. Free. A Northumberland Jazz Festival event.
Sun 25: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 25: Northern Monkey Brass Band @ Spanish City Plaza (outdoor stage). 1:00pm. Free. A Whitley Bay Carnival event.
Sun 25: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 25: Catriona Bourne Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Admission: see website: www.queenshall.co.uk. Bourne (harp), Francis Tulip (guitar), James Owston (double bass), Joe Bainbridge (drums). A Northumberland Jazz Festival event.
Sun 25: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 25: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 25: Struggle Buggy @ The Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Blues.
Sun 25: Joe Steels Group + Norma Winstone (vocals); Nikki Iles (piano); Mike Walker (guitar); Steve Watts (double bass). 7:00pm. Admission: see website: www.queenshall.co.uk. Steels (guitar); Ferg Kilsby (trumpet, flugelhorn); Ben Lawrence (piano); Paul Susans (double bass); John Hirst (drums). A Northumberland Jazz Festival event.
Sun 25: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 25: Xhosa Cole/Neil Charles/Mark Sanders @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A JNE promotion. Note: Xhosa Cole replaces Nicole Mitchell.

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, November 13, 2017

Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ Seven Arts - November 12

(Review by Russell)
The Strictly Smokin’ Big Band rocked up at 31a Harrowgate Road in the Chapel Allerton suburb of Leeds to play an afternoon engagement at Seven Arts. MD Michael Lamb called upon his A-listers and, with just three deps drafted in, Tyneside’s finest nineteen piece big band was ready to roll. As Seven Jazz regulars arrived for their weekly Sunday afternoon gig the word on the door was that a handful of tickets, no more, remained on sale.
Half an hour before the advertised start the ‘house full’ signs went up with some disappointed fans being told that they could be admitted during the interval if one or two people decided not to return for the second set. Fat chance! The band assembled on stage in the tiered seating auditorium and wasted no time in hitting ’em for six with the Buddy Rich take on Mexicali Nose. An opportune time to name check depping drummer Tom Hawthorn. Leeds College of Music graduate, working with a slew of top class outfits – Portmanteau and Tom Sharp to name but two – Hawthorn’s performance was nothing short of brilliant having received in advance of the gig one or two of the ‘more difficult’ charts, otherwise, he read the dots on the day. And on the subject of deps…the other two – pianist Dean Stockdale, and Tim Hurst, trombone – were more than up to the job.

Chris Walden’s Film Noir Suite has been in the pad for a while and here at Seven Arts the band got to play all three parts. David Barnes’ trombone solo the centerpiece of Part One, Part Two’s three-flute intro (Jamie Toms, Steve Summers, Keith Robinson), and a most lyrical trumpet solo from the genial American ex-pat Pete Tanton, set up Part Three featuring a killer drum ‘n’ bass riff leading to Robinson’s alto ripping the roof off the place. Earlier vocalist F’reez had softened them up with the  Pocket Song. A Yorkshireman sitting to your reviewer’s left was hearing the Strictly Smokin’ for the first time unaware that the SSBB had yet to play its ace card. From the shadows into the spotlight, please welcome…Ms Alice Grace! The fabulous Alice Grace. Game, set and match! Honeysuckle Rose with Michael Whent’s sensitive bass accompaniment, then the killer ‘get out of here’ moment, Grace singing Lush Life with first-class piano accompaniment and Jamie Tom’s superb tenor solo.  

The SSBB is increasingly looking beyond the tried and tested, trying and testing charts by the likes of Adam Bartczak (Greta’s Groove, Grass is Greener) and Tom Garling (Song for AEG). Swing? – the SSBB certainly does, but newer material is key to maintaining the interest of the audience and within the band’s sections.

F’reez insisted I’m a Shy Guy, later confessing to Gamblin' Man Blues. In a slightly comic moment, depping ’bone man Tim Hurst almost missed his cue as Ms Grace sang, with a sparkle in her eye, Hard Hearted Hannah. Hurst leapt to his feet, acquitting himself well with a bold ‘n’ brassy solo. Two full sets, the first exceeding an hour, afforded MD Michael Lamb the luxury of a surfeit of tunes at his fingertips; Chris Walden’s Arturo, Tom Kubis’ On Purple Porpoise Parkway, Bill Ashton of NYJO fame contributed Heat of the Moment (Grace’s vocals) and Dave Slonaker’s Intrada. Dave Slonaker calls up members of the Big Phat Band and plays gigs at the Lighthouse, Hermosa Beach – that’s an indication of the quality of material in the SSBB’s pad. The trumpet section is more than a match for most, and Tom Hill, once again playing section lead, nailed it time and again, receiving,  at one point, a deserving pat on the back from Gordon Marshall.         

The band’s closing number featured Paul Gowland’s tour de force tenor playing on Body and Soul. A show-stopping number, Gowland acknowledged the applause. Cries of ‘more’ won the band the encore it richly deserved and the audience went on its way singing Jeepers Creepers.
This was a fine performance by the Strictly Smokin’ at a bona fide jazz club. Next stop Ronnies?
Russell                         
Strictly Smokin’ Big Band: Michael Lamb MD, Pete Tanton, Tom Hill, Gordon Marshall trumpets; David Barnes, Mark Ferris, Tim Hurst, John Flood trombones; Jamie Toms, Paul Gowland, Steve Summers (pictured), Keith Robinson, Laurie Rangecroft reeds; Pawel Jedrzejewski guitar; Dean Stockdale piano; Michael Whent bass; Tom Hawthorn drums; Alice Grace vocals; F’reez vocals

1 comment :

Steve Crocker (on F/b) said...

Thanks for the review Lance! Always welcome. (ps we did get everyone in - never turn people away - we're a jazz club after all...!)

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