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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.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Nicknames.
Thu 20: Terri Green Experience @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £15.90.
Thu 20: King Bees @ The Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Superb blues band.
Thu 20: Lindsay Hannon Trio @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Hannon’s ‘Tom Waits for No Man’ set.
Thu 20: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:30pm. Free.

Fri 21: Paul Skerritt @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 21: Giles Strong Quartet @ 1719, Hendon, Sunderland. 7:30pm. CANCELLED!
Fri 21: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Featuring special guest Martin Litton (piano).

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.

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

Friday, December 08, 2017

Riviera Quartet @ Empty Shop, Durham - December 7

Pete Tanton (trumpet, flugelhorn & vocals), Mark Williams (guitar), John Pope (double bass) & Russ Morgan (drums)
(Review by Russell)
35c Framwellgate Bridge, Durham. Empty Shop was open for business on a freezing winter’s night. Upon arrival, proprietor Carlo just happened to be at the speakeasy’s door. Many in? enquired your correspondent. Yeah said our welcoming host. At the top of the stairs a ‘hello’ to JP, Mr John Pope. The bar snuggly warm, a Pinot Grigio and a bottle of Pavlov’s Dog the order, MC Tony Eales hadn’t reserved seats…tut tut! 
A few seats were available as Pete Tanton and co prepared to begin their first set. December in Durham, starting with Barbados, of course. Tanton is the Riviera Quartet’s principal composer and a second of the multi-talented ex-pat American’s tunes, a waltz – Turf Warfollowed. Pete Tanton opened on flugelhorn with master guitarist to his left, Mark Williams, ready to craft another amazing solo. (MW doesn’t do anything other than amazing). Tanton said the Rivieras were known for their ‘bossa, blues and bebop’. True enough. What they weren’t known for was Tanton’s vocals! Yes, as the trumpet and flugelhorn player would say during an interval chat he has always thought himself a ‘singer-songwriter’. The multi-talented Pete Tanton! His vocal style? Chet Baker-ish, plaintive, the voice of Johnny Lonely (Tanton’s first novel – Johnny Lonely – is required reading). A surprise, the kind of surprise that makes one exclaim: Well, I never!

Musically, the Riviera Quartet has developed apace. The core ‘bossa, blues and bebop’ remains in place, now with the addition of Tanton’s vocals (!), and, from time to time, the quartet introduced an element of freer improvisation. There is an easy going relationship between the four musicians and at one point during the evening Tanton turned to John Pope to ask how many bands the bassist is currently involved with. JP began to count on his fingers: There’s…and there is…and...then there is… losing count at nine. A few favourites from the pad were given an outing including  The Cat’s Reply and the set closer, Williams’ Booze Blues but this Empty Shop gig will be remembered for an unexpected occurrence, that of Pete Tanton singing. Check out the Riviera Quartet and you could hit lucky in hearing PT singing Lately I’ve Been Lonely or, perhaps, You Don’t Smile Anymore.           
Russell

1 comment :

Patti said...

Geordie jazz nuts don't stay at home because of a few degrees of freezing - not when a band like this has a gig! A fabulous evening of great jazzy numbers, all originals - with one of the top rhythm sections in the land, and front man Pete, sweetly mellow on trumpet and flugelhorn.

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