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Bebop Spoken There

Steve Coleman: ''If you don't keep learning, your mind slows down. Use it or lose it''. (DownBeat, January 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

17719 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 39 of them this year alone and, so far, 39 this month (Jan. 15).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Fri 17: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 17: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 17: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 17: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 17: Joe Steels Trio w. Graham Hardy @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £10.00. (inc. a welcome drink & table reservation). Book at: www.drinks@thepele.co.uk. A ‘Jazz at the Pele’ promotion.
Fri 17: Russ Morgan Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 17: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 18: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 18: Alter Ego + Jamie Toms/Graham Don Duo @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 18: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Repas 7 by Night, West St., Berwick TD15 1AS. 7:30pm. Free. Album launch gig.
Sat 18: Delta Prophets @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 19: Glenn Miller Orchestra UK @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 3:00pm. ‘Glenn Miller & the Rat Pack Era’.
Sun 19: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 19: Spilt Milk @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 5:15-7:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 19: Tenement Jazz Band @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 19: Nick Ross Orchestra @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm.
Sun 19: Freight Train (Tobin/Noble/Clarvis) @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 20: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 21: ???

Wed 22: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 22: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 22: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 22: Pasadena Roof Orchestra @ Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm.

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

Saturday, January 06, 2018

Northern Monkey Brass Band @ Gala Theatre, Durham – Jan 5

Graham Hardy (trumpet), Ben Chinnery (trumpet), Jamie Toms (tenor saxophone), David Gray (trombone), Jason Holcomb (trombone), Phil Rosier (tuba), Adam Sinclair (snare drum) & Brendan Murphy (bass drum)
(Review by Russell). 
Durham is riding the wave. Jazz can be found, and heard, at every turn. Within a slide trombone of Durham Cathedral regular promotions occur at Dunelm House, Empty Shop, the Gala Theatre and at many enterprising independent venues around town. Last year’s inaugural DJazz: Durham Jazz Festival proved hugely popular. An annual county-wide brass festival attracts thousands, Ushaw is on the jazz map thanks to its festival and concert series, Bishop Auckland Town Hall presents jazz on a monthly basis, St Cuthbert’s in Crook offers regular sessions, and Darlington boasts no fewer than three thriving clubs and an established festival. It, therefore, came as no surprise that a sellout gig launched the Gala Theatre’s 2018 monthly lunchtime concert series.

Trumpeter Graham Hardy’s Northern Monkey Brass Band is, to quote the band’s publicity: a deeply funky collective of the finest drum and brass players in the North East of England. The ‘collective’ is a ‘who’s who’ of the jazz scene. The Gala’s patrons were in for a treat. The Northern Monkey Brass Band dispersed casually to the left, right and behind the audience. Promoter Paul Edis read out the usual parish notices and then, to the surprise of those yet to hear the NMBB, the horns, one by one evoked the spirit of Buddy Bolden, a sound carrying across the Mississippi River (more realistically the River Wear down below). Hardy’s Loose in the Banana Patch segued into The A Team as band members slowly assembled in front of the capacity audience – horns blazing with the incomparable rhythm boys, snare master Adam Sinclair and bass drum demon Brendan Murphy, marching to the New Orleans beat.

The Rebirth, the Dirty Dozen, the Youngbloods, America’s finest, in part the inspiration for the Horn Dogs, later to become known as the Northern Monkey Brass Band. Flash (see it’s a brass fantasy!) followed by The Sly Capuchin (comp. G. Hardy), Water of Tyne (comp. trad) with the band opening in respectful manner until the second liners kicked N’Awlins’ ass. At this point, if anyone didn’t get it, perhaps they should have been looking for their nearest country and western gig. Another G Hardy tune, the lip-smackin’ Monkey Blood, then Iko Iko compelling one or two to dance surreptitiously in the standing-room-only shadows. The Northern Monkey Brass Band is a band comprising soloists of repute deferring to the collective sound until they’re let off the leash for a blast and this Gala gig heard loud and clear from the irrepressible David Gray, not once, not twice, but several times. DG’s trombone sidekick Jason Holcomb wasn’t to be outdone, Jamie Toms on tenor ripped it up on The tune with no name whose working title will suffice until someone (it could be you!) thinks of a better title and Phil Rosier stepped forward, literally, on Funky Pie to coax more than a tune from his tuba. A party piece for sure. Of course, there was an encore (Theme from Star Wars) and Graham Hardy has more of this stuff lined-up during a big, bold ‘n’ brassy 2018. 
Russell                                                       

1 comment :

Patti (on F/b) said...

Funkydoodles - this band is tops - I couldn't make it to this gig, but must see 'em again soon!

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