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Bebop Spoken There

Sullivan Fortner: ''I always judge it by the bass player: If the bass player is happy, it's going to be a good night". (DownBeat, February 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

17805 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 126 of them this year alone and, so far, 51 this month (Feb.16).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

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: Mark Williams Trio @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 23: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 23: Mississippi MacDonald @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. Blues.
Sun 23: Mu Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. CANCELLED!
Sun 23: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

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

Tue 25: ?

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: Jamie McCredie @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Fri 28: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. THIS WEEK ONLY JAMES BIRKETT (guitar)!
Fri 28: Luis Verde 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: Knats @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £11.50. (inc bf.). Album launch gig. Support act TBC.
Fri 28: Black is the Color of My Voice @ The Gala, Durham. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman show inspired by the life of Nina Simone, performed by Florence Odumosu.
Fri 28: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival: Musicians Unlimited @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 8:00pm. £10.00. (Weekend ticket £20.00., available on the door). Day 1/3. Musicians Unlimited in concert.
Fri 28: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

MARCH 2025

Sat 01: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 11:00am. £15.00. Day 2/3.
Sat 01: TJ Johnson Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 01: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £25.00. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Get your funk on! Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 01: Shunyata Improvisation Group @ The Watch House, Cullercoats. 2:00-3:30pm. Free.
Sat 01: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers. Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Struggle Buggy @ The Peacock, Sunderland. 6:00pm. Blues band.
Sat 01: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 01: Jack & Jay’s Vintage Songbook @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

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, December 19, 2017

Lickety Split @ The Globe. The Jazz Coop Christmas Party, December 17

Eddie Bellis (trombone, introductions); Kevin Eland (trumpet, flugelhorn); Paul Gowland (tenor sax); Alan Marshall (alto sax); Jeremy McMurray (keys); Bradley Johnston (guitar); John Pope (bass); Sid Wight (drums).
(Review by Ann Alex) 
And here was I thinking that Lickety Split was an ice lolly! It was the first time I’d seen this band and I certainly wasn’t disappointed. They gave an excellent performance, a lively, skilled front line with the precision of a big band, and the engine room behind giving their all. Not just the main tune then solos all round, but much more interesting arrangements with instruments chipping in variously. What tunes did they play? My notes are lacking in this department as I was selling raffle tickets and counting money as well, so I asked the band for a set list. This is jazz folks, so guess what, the list didn’t quite tally with what I heard, but the show was too good to be worrying about such trivialities.
Christmas numbers were included, (not mentioned on the list); we had O Christmas Tree (I know this as The Red Flag, but I refrained from singing it); Silent Night was well improvised and quite loud; The ever popular White Christmas;  and the evening was well rounded off with Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas, with the horns in wonderful harmony. In between came Wayne Shorter’s One By One; Mambo Influenciado ; Soul Leo; New Religion; a very spirited Straight No Chaser ( Paul gave a superb solo on sax, a rather slidey run through of the chords, then what sounded like the same chords but much, much faster); then Sister Sadie, with every instrument chipping in.

Other tunes which I believe were played included Stolen Moments; Doxy; Nica’s Dream; Four; Lift Off; Sandu; Dolphin Dance; I Remember Clifford. I’m not able to say more about the performance as I was involved in other duties, so I must see this band again. I’m not sure how I’ve missed them so far. Eddie told us that the band had been together for many years and this was their 10th birthday.  
This was, of course, the Globe Christmas party, with lots of food and 12 Cds for the raffle prizes. The Cds had been kindly donated by Dave Weisser, with the raffle money going to the Globe funds. The party began at 6pm with the Globe Jam house bands conducting proceedings and the downstairs bar was full. The bands did a great job of getting us in the groove ready for  Lickety Split. They were:-
Stu Finden (tenor sax) Fiona Finden (soprano sax) Dave Weisser (cornet); Jude Murphy ( flute, sax); Keith Barrett (guitar). Sorry, I can’t remember the full names of the 2 drummers or the bass player. I do remember that a good time was had by all. The metro called me home before the end of the evening, so it could still be going on for all I know.
Ann Alex

1 comment :

Kev said...

I don't know what Ann was listening to but silent night is a gentle Bossa but then the drums were loud all the way through.

Kev Eland

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