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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

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Francis Tulip Quartet @ The Fox Inn, Hexham - Jan 9

Francis Tulip (guitar), Joel Brown (keyboards), Deon Krishnan (bass) & Matt MacKellar (drums)
(Review by Russell) 
On this third date of the tour, a short notice dep was required. Bassist Michael Dunlop had returned to London and sighting six string bass maestro Deon Krishnan walking through the door of the Fox Inn quelled any fears that this Hexham Jazz Club engagement could, perhaps, result in a less than cohesive performance. The booking of the Francis Tulip Quartet offered something a little different for the Fox’s hardcore jazz fans. What’s more, many new faces turned up making for a marvellous atmosphere.

The set list remained largely unchanged from the pre-Christmas tour dates – a good idea, enabling the tunes to develop by dint of playing them time and again in front of an audience. Benny Golson, Gilad Hekselman, Johnny Green (Body and Soul), Arthur Schwartz (Alone Together), familiar tunes all, with Joel Brown’s piano playing and Francis Tulip’s guitar solo on Body and Soul both sensitive and expansive. The audience liked what it heard with more than a few whoops and hollers from all parts of the room. Bandleader Tulip announced the first set would conclude with Caravan segueing into 500 Miles High.
The brace of tunes took matters to previously unscaled heights. Our bass dep Deon Krishnan sight reading the parts hung on to the coat tails of the young bucks as they flew 500 miles high, reaching for the stars, the transition from the first number to the second masterful with a beyond-his-years solo from Joel Brown. Thrilling stuff!

The Fox was busy. The publican couldn’t be anything other than delighted. A bit crack with Michael (Hexham Jazz Club), Mr Brown senior and the Tulip clan, a trip to the bar, a canny night alright and there was a second set to look forward to!

Wayne Shorter’s Yes or No opened the second set. This is, perhaps, the number which best sums up what the Francis Tulip Quartet is all about. Hugely accomplished, if they ever record an album – and why not? – Shorter’s composition must be on it, the musicianship was absolutely astonishing!               
In introducing a well-known tune Francis Tulip made the observation that ‘yesterday’ – ie Jan 8th – would have been Thelonious Monk’s birthday. Now then, basic research reveals this to be factually incorrect. Hey why worry? Further, Tulip suggested the great man would be spinning in his grave at the prospect of a 21st-century jazz group playing a funked up In Walked Bud. What the hell? The FT4 went ahead and played a funked up version. Who better than Deon Krishnan to funk it up? DK isn’t heard much on the jazz scene – he’s busy with other projects – but when he does play a jazz gig it’s always a fun night and funked-up fours with Matt MacKellar brought the house down.

Christian McBride’s Interlude was absolutely killing. A pub in a Northumberland market town, three young musicians, plus a not-so-young Krishnan (!!!), stretching out as they did was something else, you couldn’t make it up. Drummer Matt MacKellar, fresh from his first term at Berklee, has returned with a newly acquired dynamism. As if the young man wasn’t highly accomplished before he set off on the adventure of a lifetime, here at the Fox, Matt grabbed the night by the scruff of the neck with a sense of purpose, determinedly driving the quartet to ever greater heights, not least on Coltrane’s Impressions. The audience loved it, job done! Next stop Darlington on Sunday (Jan 14), six o’clock start at the Quakerhouse. Be there.           
Russell.

2 comments :

Anonymous said...

Thelonious Funk - In Walked Bootsy. You couldn't make it up.

Patti said...

The band didn't need Bootsy - they had Funky Deon, the funkiest bass man in town!

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