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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

17957 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 278 of them this year alone and, so far, 34 this month (April 14).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Tue 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. Coquetdale Jazz.

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: 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

Thursday, December 21, 2017

Francis Tulip Quartet @ Empty Shop - Dec 20

Francis Tulip (guitar), Joel Brown (keyboards), Michael Dunlop (bass) & Matt MacKellar (drums)
(Review by Russell) 
Four globe-trotting young musicians hooked-up once again to play the first of four gigs in the region over the festive break. By way of London, Birmingham, Boston (Mass. USA) and downtown Whitley Bay, Francis, Joel, Michael and Matt were playing their first gig together in six months since leaving to further their jazz studies. Durham’s Empty Shop was anything but – empty, that is. Most seats in the first-floor performance space were occupied, this despite the mass exodus of Durham’s student population over the holiday period.

Benny Golson’s Stablemates for starters, the Francis Tulip Quartet picked up where they left off, in a in a word, the lads were ‘cooking’. Francis’ new-found inspiration, guitarist Gilad Hekselman, was in the setlist and the first of two compositions – Purim – perhaps owed something to Chick Corea’s  Return to Forever. ‘Time for a ballad’ said bandleader Francis. Body and Soul – terrific! With chops in check, this fine reading of a classic tune featured drummer Matt MacKellar’s brushes with pianist Joel Brown and bassist Michael Dunlop offering sensitive contributions.

Francis likes Monk, everyone likes Monk, let’s hear Jackie-ing. The quartet’s Jazz Co-op gig earlier in the year produced some brilliant work from Matt and this Empty Shop renewal sought to revisit a highlight of the year. Matt, pre-Berklee, brought the house down on that memorable occasion, here in Durham, some four months on from first arriving at Berklee College of Music, he did it again! And what’s more, as was evident at Tuesday’s Jazz Café jam session, he’s upped his game adding one or two tricks to his already formidable arsenal; there is a new-found dynamism, if the chart at hand requires drive and direction Matt doesn’t hesitate, kicking bass drum and an accenting snap on the snare.

A marvellous first set drew to a close with Cole Porter’s All of You followed by Caravan in 12/8. The fact that it was in 12/8 was probably neither here nor there for most in the audience, what mattered was it sounded great!

Empty Shop proprietor Carlo said he was most impressed. Durham’s hidden gem (don’t tell anyone that this marvellous latter-day speakeasy can be found at 35c Framwellgate Bridge) has supported the local jazz scene since opening its doors and there is a full programme in place for 2018. And as jazz night MC Tony Eales is fond of saying: Jazz is good for you!

Second set: Wayne Shorter and Joe Henderson with another Gilad Hekselman number in between ensured the standard didn’t slip. Shorter’s Yes or No, Henderson’s Black Narcissus, with fine solos from young buck pianist Joel Brown and Birmingham Conservatoire’s Tulip. Brown and Tulip made further, first-rate lyrical contributions on Hekeslman’s March of the Sad Ones.

Guildhall student Michael Dunlop doesn’t do flash, or, more likely, resists the temptation, but he did step up to the plate to play a telling five-string solo on In Walked Bud with Tulip, in the groove, able to quote, at a lick, a la Jim Mullen, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. Time was pressing, Joel Brown had a train to catch (it’s a schlep up to the station lugging a Casio keyboard!)* but time enough for the lads to play, as Tulip called it, a ‘roastie’ of a tune in Christian McBride’s Interlude. Perhaps not quite ‘eyeballs-out’ but swift enough! All featured with Berklee student Matt MacKellar killing on kit. The northbound to Newcastle was fast approaching but Casio Joel hung around long enough for a ‘tear-arse’ finale. Coltrane’s Impressions could be considered as the band’s party piece. Absolutely brilliant playing all round.

Gig number two of the tour is tomorrow night (Friday 22 Dec) at Newcastle’s Jazz Café. It’s a nine o’clock start, a mere fiver admission (four quid concessions), Santa hats optional. A late addition to the tour schedule is a Darlington Jazz Club gig at the Quakerhouse, Sunday 14 January (6:00pm).                            
So, that’s Newcastle Dec 22, Hexham’s Fox Inn Jan 9, and Darlington Jan 14. Do get along to hear the Francis Tulip Quartet.
Russell 
* Joel accepted Christine’s kind offer of a lift to the station, arriving in good time to catch the northbound express. The spirit of Christmas!          
                                    

1 comment :

Steve T said...

He did a masterclass with Gilad so knew the stuff. Like most, he's into Rosenwinkel(picker) who he considers the greatest since McLaughlin, which many will find audacious, and some blasphemous.
Loved the new intro and outro to Impressions.

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