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Bebop Spoken There

George Porter Jr.: ''To me, syncopation is like jazz. It wasn't meant for the masses. It was meant just for a hip few". (DownBeat, May 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

17985(and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 306 of them this year alone and, so far, 62 this month (April 26).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Tue 29: ???

Wed 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 30: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 30: International Jazz Day @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £16.00.; £14.00. adv.. Feat. Guido Spannocchi, John Pope & Steve Hanley + Take it to the Bridge participants + Open Mic Night participants.

MAY 2025

Thu 01: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Member’s Contribution.
Thu 01: Alabaster de Plume @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Thu 01: Living in Shadows + OUTRI @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Thu 01: The Shayo Experiment @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Shayo Oshodi & Liam Oliver.
Thu 01: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free.

Fri 02: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 02: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 02: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 02: Anna Reay & Deon Krishnan @ STACK, Seaburn. 4:30-6:15pm. Free.
Fri 02: Nauta @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 7:00pm. £7.50. A ‘Nauta’s House’ gig featuring Nauta & guests Shayo Oshodi & David Gray.
Fri 02: Spilt Milk @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 02: Dom Pipkin @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Solo piano.
Fri 02: Abbie Finn Trio @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00. + bf.

Sat 03: Hot Fingers @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 03: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £25.00. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Summer Samba Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 03: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 03: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 03: Postmodern Jukebox @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm.
Sat 03: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £3.00. + bf.
Sat 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 03: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:30pm. Free.

Sun 04: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 04: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 04: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 04: Spilt Milk @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:00-5:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 04: Rivkala @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 04: Ben Crosland Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 05: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 05: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

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 17, 2018

Jazz Café Jam Session - January 16

(Review by Lance).
Too much! Too much! 
To attempt to give a blow by blow account of last night's Jazz Café Jam Session would be futile. Words could only hint at the ambiance both on and off stage. From the moment the house trio hit the deck with East of the Sun, there was ne'er a dull moment. This was a night when there were no passengers, each and every one contributing the max. Not only that, this was one of those rare jam sessions where no one called for All the Things You are - I didn't feel cheated.
Graham Hardy waxed lyrical on flugelhorn, Paul Gowland blew some paint-stripping alto and Nick Gould put the boot in on tenor. Gould, one of three Edinburgh escapees - Waugh and Midas being the other two - is always a welcome visitor whilst the latter pair, apart from being fine musicians, added a touch of humour to the proceedings.
The Way You Look Tonight had it all. Gowland set the ball rolling with a blistering solo that had 'follow that!' written all over it. Paul Edis did just that with a two-fisted attack on the upright that seemed to incorporate just about every piano style from Bach to barrelhouse - I think the applause may just about have died down by now and it wasn't over! Gould came on like Hank Mobley and the two saxes took it out in contrapuntal fashion.
It will be a long time before I hear sax playing like that again (I thought).
Enter Dan Garel.
Garel, an alto player of relatively tender years, stepped up and threw his cap into the ring. With Matt MacKellar on drums, he too proved his worth in the Saxophone Stakes. Matt had taken over from Russ and now it was time for Pauls Edis and Grainger to be spelled by Bearpark and Pope for some bebop.
Midas played On the Sunny Side of the Street and almost decapitated Gowland with the neck of his guitar. Gould joined him (Midas? Gould? there's a joke in there somewhere!) for St Thomas. Waugh was on piano and later he sang Gee Baby Ain't I Good to You. Dave Weisser and Jude Murphy sang and played cornet and flute respectively and Mohammed took over on drums for a couple of tunes.
Dave sang Nature Boy and Jude hit us with Bye Bye Blackbird.
David Midas perhaps said it all when he played I'm Just a Lucky So and So. I think we all felt like that.
Lance.
Paul Edis (piano); Paul Grainger (bass); Russ Morgan (drums) + Graham Hardy (flugel); Paul Gowland (alto); Nick Gould (tenor); Matt MacKellar (drums); Dan Garel (alto); Tom Bearpark (piano); John Pope (bass); David Midas (guitar); Martin Waugh (piano/vocal); Dave Weisser (cornet/vocal); Jude Murphy (flute/vocal); Hazem Mohammed (drums).
PS: Edis, Grainger and Morgan - what a rhythm section!
PPS: Good to meet up with Chris Finch again.

4 comments :

Nick Gould said...

An excellent night down at the caff last night. I really enjoyed hearing Dan and Matt play. They are both excellent musicians with a big future. House trio was top drawer I hadn't heard Paul Edis play before, very tasteful.

Ron Ainsborough said...


I thought last night was an 'I was there' moment without question.

Russell said...

A three way conversation in the gents - two of the three were hearing Paul Edis for the first time - went something like 'the piano player is bleeping amazing...aye, bleeping brilliant...is it like this every time?'

Lance said...

Apologies - photos now uploaded.

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