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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 16: MOBO Song @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 12 noon. Free, performances on the concourse. Line-up inc. Jazz Attack (on stage time TBC) & Jambone (12:20pm).
Sun 16: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 16: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: BBC Introducing NE X MOBO Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Jambone, Knats, Rivkala, SwanNek.
Sun 16: The Shayo Experience @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 16: Gerry Richardson Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. .

Mon 17: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 17: Matt Forster Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance.
Mon 17: Russ Morgan Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law, Paul Grainger, John Hirst.

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: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Jazz Milestones - 1975.
Thu 20: Renegade Brass Band @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 20: Orange Claw Hammer + Peony @ The Globe, Newcastle.7:30pm. Orange Claw Hammer play Captain Beefheart.
Thu 20: Jeremy McMurray & the Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Featuring special guest Zoë Gilby.

Fri 21: JazzMain @ 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: Joe Steels Trio @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £10.00. TBC.
Fri 21: Emma Rawicz w. Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

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: Mississippi MacDonald @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm. Blues.
Sat 22: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Old Cinema Laundrette, Durham. 7:45pm. £16.50. SOLD OUT!
Sat 22: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

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, January 19, 2018

Jambone @ Sage Gateshead - January 18

(Review by Russell).
A concert by Sage Gateshead’s youth jazz orchestra is always a welcome event and despite a mid-January reminder of winter’s worst a good number of supporters took their seats in Sage Two for a one set performance of sixty minutes duration. The orchestra assembled on stage on time dressed in regulation all black attire.
The set list comprised four numbers; a Rodgers and Hart standard and three by Jambone MD Paul Edis. Putting names to most of the faces was a simple exercise given that Bebop Spoken Here has regularly documented the fortunes of the region’s premier youth big band. One new face, Ms Emily McDermott, the band’s vocalist, would sing on all four numbers, remaining on stage throughout.
McDermott, Alex Thompson playing clarinet, James Metcalf, trumpet, and Ben Lawrence, sitting at Sage Two’s Steinway, featured on the opening number, Edis’ It Ain’t Broke. McDermott possesses a fine voice, singing with assurance, if she was nervous it didn’t show. Will Ms. McDermott develop a jazz voice? Watch this space. Jambone MD Paul Edis informed the audience that Antonia Carlos Jobim’s signature jazz samba would add something a little different to The Long Way Round. A tale of Tyneside’s Metro rail system, try taking the scenic route – the long way round – to get a sense of Edis’ thinking as you travel from Newcastle to Whitley Bay via South Gosforth. Matthew Downey is the band’s guitarist, perhaps a little shy, a preference for being seated, but fully concentrated, took it out on a vamp alongside the ace Jambone rhythm section.

Lucien ‘Satchmo’ Guest stepped out of the trumpet section to join vocalist McDermott front of stage to play Louis to Jambone’s Ella. Great fun with some fine playing. My Funny Valentine (arr. P Edis) featured McDermott, of course, Alex Thompson on alto, and the band’s sole trombone player, Kate Garnett, with excellent work from the trumpet section. It isn’t often that a flautist gets an opportunity to show what they can do, but in this big band, not one but two fine players were duly given space; first Megan Robinson, then Imogen Davies-Pugh.

Edis’ Bite covered a lot of ground with just about everyone getting a chance to play on this, the final number of the evening. Solo contributions popped up all over the place but it would be remiss if the rhythm kings – bassist Alex Shipsey and drummer Dylan Thompson – didn’t get a mention. As sure as night follows day these young musicians will make it, if that’s what they want to do. Time will tell.    
Jambone is a ‘work in progress’ heading in the right direction and the Gateshead International Jazz Festival (April 6-8) offers a further opportunity to hear the band and, what’s more, the ensemble will be working with James Brady and Issie Barratt! Book your tickets now by calling Sage Gateshead’s ticket office – 0191 443 4661.
Russell. 
Paul Edis MD; Alex Thompson (alto saxophone & clarinet); Christopher Muir (alto & soprano saxophones); Ella Talbot (alto saxophone); Haaruun Miller (alto saxophone); Ryan de Silva (baritone saxophone); Kate Garnett (trombone); Imogen Davies-Pugh (flute); Megan Robinson (flute); Edward Hogben (trumpet); James Metcalf (trumpet); Lucien Guest (trumpet); Matthew Downey (guitar); Ben Lawrence (piano); Alex Shipsey (bass & double bass); Dylan Thompson (drums); Emily McDermott (vocals).

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