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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

17985(and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 306 of them this year alone and, so far, 62 this month (April 26).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

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: ???

Wed 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 30: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 30: International Jazz Day @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £16.00.; £14.00. adv.. Feat. Guido Spannocchi, John Pope & Steve Hanley + Take it to the Bridge participants + Open Mic Night participants.

MAY 2025

Thu 01: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Member’s Contribution.
Thu 01: Alabaster de Plume @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Thu 01: Living in Shadows + OUTRI @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Thu 01: The Shayo Experiment @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Shayo Oshodi & Liam Oliver.
Thu 01: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free.

Fri 02: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 02: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 02: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 02: Anna Reay & Deon Krishnan @ STACK, Seaburn. 4:30-6:15pm. Free.
Fri 02: Nauta @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 7:00pm. £7.50. A ‘Nauta’s House’ gig featuring Nauta & guests Shayo Oshodi & David Gray.
Fri 02: Spilt Milk @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 02: Dom Pipkin @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Solo piano.
Fri 02: Abbie Finn Trio @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00. + bf.

Sat 03: Hot Fingers @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 03: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £25.00. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Summer Samba Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 03: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 03: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 03: Postmodern Jukebox @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm.
Sat 03: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £3.00. + bf.
Sat 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 03: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:30pm. Free.

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 17, 2017

Christmas Jethro Tull @ Durham Cathedral - December 14

Ian Anderson (flute, 'voice', acoustic travel guitar and mandolin), Florian Opahle (electric guitar), John O'Hara (piano, organ, accordion), David Goodier (bass guitar), Scott Hammond (drums).
Durham Senior Choristers Choir, Jason Lowe (cathedral organ), Lloyd Grossman ('guitar', 'voice').
(Review by Steve T)
Some people don't think prog-rock qualifies for a Jazz blog and Ian Anderson defines Tull as progressive with a small p. Many think a more contemporary interpretation of Jazz is music which breaks the rules, takes chances and is more challenging, for musician and listener. 
I've seen them a number of times, at Bury, Newcastle, Lancaster, Sheffield and Gateshead, so we're all but Tulled out, but the lure of this most Christmassy of rock bands at the worlds greatest building was too great to resist.
They opened with a flute led God Rest ye Merry Gentleman and this would set the pace for the night and prove a blessing - I know from the last time I saw him his voice has clearly forsaken him but, fear not, anyone with tickets for the Sage in the spring, he's taken to having a stooge helping him out, leaving him the more talky bits. And his flute playing is better than ever.  
The chorister choir sang it in the middle and then did Gaudete as interpreted by Steelye Span, but speeded up and occasionally drowned out by the cathedral organ.
A Christmas Song was an early Tull piece, largely based on Once in Royal Davids City, but concerning itself with the Christmas spirit, and asking at the end where Santa's going with that bottle.
Ring on Solstice Bell was a much later piece and the first indication of just how poor his voice has become, though either the keyboardist or bass player was helping him out.
Various pieces with a Christmas flavour followed and it was quite remarkable how this was maintained through two sets.
At some point during set one Sid Grossman, or was it Lloyd Rotten, joined him for some serious lowering of the tone, boasting that he only does 4/4.
From Anderson's point of view, this may have been an exercising in giving your detractors a platform to hang himself, which he promptly did. I was thinking he shouldn't give up the day job and hoping he might have brought some mince pies. 
In a stroke of genius Tull followed it with one of the more bearable modern Christmas pop songs, from the recently deceased Greg Lake, and it's never sounded better. 
The set ended with a perennial Tull classic, JS Bachs Boure from 69s Stand Up, Anderson observing Bach would have approved of its Jazzy, improvisational qualities. It ended with the greatest testament I've ever heard of his debt to Roland Kirk, his main influence on flute, from whom he stole all the frantic breathing and moaning.
The second set would feature more Bach, from the cathedral organ followed by some serious heavy metal guitar, as Ian described him as a God and briefly worshipped him after his showpiece.
This was preceded by more by the chef de punk rock, who claimed he wasn't sure if he were more surprised playing in a cathedral or with Jethro Tull.
I see no inconsistencies in playing punk rock in a cathedral; a small number of people with power (the BBC) telling lots of people they want to control (us)that something ridiculous (punkrock) has some deeper meaning beyond what we are clever enough to perceive with our limited intelligence and ordinary sensory organs (ears). 
They followed this with one I felt sure Anderson would have been persuaded to drop, which I've never heard them play live and I don't believe it's on any of the live albums. My God is the most forthright condemnation of religion in the whole of Jethro Tull, with it's 'plastic crucifix.'
This was followed by a massively extended and jazzed up Aqualung, which has been the last one at every Tull/ Anderson gig for four and a half decades, with it's protagonist 'eyeing little girls with bad intent, snots running down his nose.'
Finally Locomotive Breath, which has been the encore for the same period, with references like 'in bed and having fun' and 'grab him by the b^!!$'.
For any punk rocker who wants to proclaim themselves rebels and pick fights with their biggers and betters, a lesson - know thine enemy.
A splendid night in perfect surroundings. His voice is in serious trouble, but he knows that and seems to be taking steps to make it matter as little as possible. He has wit, intelligence, opinions and integrity. If you haven't already done so, catch him before it's too late. 
Steve T.

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