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Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: '' A Love Supreme coincided with my search for meaning in life". (DownBeat, March 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

17873 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 194 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (March 14).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

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: Swamp Stomp String Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Sat 22: Rivkala @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sun 23: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 23: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Mississippi MacDonald @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. Blues.
Sun 23: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: The Great Deceivers @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Tom Atkinson & co play King Crimson (1969-1974). Atkinson (guitar); Josh Bentham (alto sax); Stu Dawson (bass); Jeff Armstrong (drums).

Mon 24: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 24: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 25: Fred Wesley & the New JB’s @ The Cluny. 7:30pm (doors). £27.50. POSTPONED! New date Wednesday 26 November.

Wed 26: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 26: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 26: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 27: Hannabiell & Midnight Blue @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 27: Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Superb blues duo.

Fri 28: Giles Strong Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00 SOLD OUT!.
Fri 28: Spilt Milk @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £8.00.
Fri 28: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Old Cinema Laundrette, Durham. 7:45pm.
Fri 28: Sue Ferris Quintet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £10.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 28: Mostly Moonlight @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Fri 28: Juliana Day & Manon McCoy @ Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00.; £10.00. advance. JNE.

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

Sunday, December 24, 2017

A Jazzy Christmas: The Paul Edis Trio, Jo Harrop & Guests @ Sage Gateshead – December 22

Paul Edis (piano); Andy Champion (bass); Russ Morgan (drums); Jo Harrop (vocals); Matt Anderson (ten, sop sax); Graeme Hardy (trumpet, flugelhorn); Emma Fisk (violin); Alex Thompson (alto sax, clarinet); Kate Garnett (trombone); Megan Robinson (flute, piccolo)
(Review by Ann Alex/Photos by Jerry and main photo by Sarah Williams)
What a grand start to Christmas! A different take on many Christmas favourites to get us in the right mood. Different from the first tune, which was an unusually rhythmed  Jingle Bells, in tricky 5/4 time from the trio with Matt Anderson on tenor sax. The piano lid, bass, bass drum and mic stand were adorned with fairy lights and Paul read out Christmas cracker jokes at various times during the evening. Enter Jo wearing a glamorous short, black, sparkly dress, to sing Let It Snow, and the mood was well set for the audience in hall 2, which was full, including many seats taken on level 3.
All the instruments were well up to the mark, with the saxes and brass giving us skilled solos, Emma’s violin sounding superb, and Jo Harrop, back in her native North East, singing well in a clear voice with an obvious jazz edge, and every word distinct. And the three younger musicians, trained by Paul in the Jambone band, did themselves credit. Jo did a very fun version of Never Do A Tango With An Eskimo; then a much sadder wartime song I’ll Be Home For Christmas (if only in my dreams); a saucy Santa Baby, reminiscent of the Eartha Kitt version; a moving Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (with piano only).
 
 The instrumentals included White Christmas (beautiful violin from Emma); Driving Home For Christmas (requested by Mrs Edis); Santa Claus Is Coming To Town. There was a lovely carol medley, featuring the piano for In The Bleak Midwinter; O Come All Ye Faithful led by Emma; and a very up tempo Silent Night from everyone. While Jo and Paul were playing, the other instruments left the stage, then played a moving God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, from various parts of the auditorium downstairs. It reminded me of orchestras which Thomas Hardy recalled playing in church when he was young. The instruments were similar, though maybe not saxophones as I’m not sure if they had yet been invented, but you get the idea.
 Winter Wonderland was the last number, followed by an encore of Mel Tormé's The Christmas Song (chestnuts roasting on an open fire etc), with everyone in Santa hats, except that there was no hat left over for the drummer. Jo gave her hat to Russ, well deserved for his hard work. A friendly gesture to round off a great evening.
Ann Alex  

1 comment :

Steve T said...

On my honeymoon in Rome I saw this brilliant jumper but it was £350 and this was 1995. Had it been £100, I'd have tortured myself and no doubt led a life of regret, but at £350, there was no decision to make and so it was on Friday.
When I first saw this night on the Sage Website, I emailed Paul to say how brill it sounded but fortunately delayed buying tickets and it was only when I came to buy them later I spotted the collision.
As I said, there wasn't a decision to make which doesn't mean it doesn't hurt; imagine how splendid I'd have looked in my £350 jumper.
More or less the ultimate North East Jazz super-group, with our very own Duke Ellington (Lord Paul) at the helm. The return of a great sax player and friend of the North East, (PC ALERT) a prodigal daughter who looks and sounds terrific (ditto the fiddler), and I'll leave it for the ladies to evaluate the male protagonists in that dept.
Next Year.

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