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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

18018 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 339 of them this year alone and, so far, 17 this month (May 7).

From This Moment On ...

MAY 2025

Thu 15: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: The Greatest in Jazz - Guitarists.
Thu 15: Pete Tanton & the Cuban Heels @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 15: New Ways of Moving in the Counterworlds @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). John Garner & John Pope.

Fri 16: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 16: Sophie Speed with the Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 16: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 16: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 16: Giles Strong Quartet @ Longframlington Memorial Hall. 7:00pm (doors). Tickets: £12.00. from 01665 570984.
Fri 16: Hot Club du Nord @ St Cuthbert’s Centre, Crook. 7:30pm. £10.00.
Fri 16: Peter Donegan & Anthony Donegan @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 7:30pm. ‘Lonnie Donegan - The Stories’.

Sat 17: Teresa Watson Band @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Blues.
Sat 17: The Society Quartet @ Hilton Garden Inn, Sunderland. 6:00pm. Tel: 0191 500 9494. £26.00 (inc. two course meal). Line-up: Jason Holcomb, Hannah Taylor, Alix Shepherd & Abbie Finn.
Sat 17: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 17: Archie Brown & the Young Bucks @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Rhythm & blues, Americana etc.
Sat 17: Rockin’ Turner Brothers @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Rockabilly, Western swing etc.

Sun 18: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 12 noon-2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 18: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 18: Ruth Lambert & Giles Strong @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 18: Steve Summers Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 19: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 19: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 20: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, Bailey Rudd.
Tue 20: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Pleased to Meet You, Bridge St., Morpeth NE61 1ND. 8:00pm.

Wed 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 21: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 21: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. 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

Saturday, February 10, 2018

Ada Francis & the Italic Quartet @ North Terrace, Newcastle - Feb 3

Ada Francis (vocals); Jimmy Jefford (tenor saxophone); Ben Richardson (piano), Luke Gaul (bass) & Harry Still (drums)
(Review by Russell) 
North Terrace in Spital Tongues is within walking distance of Newcastle city centre and on the doorstep for hundreds of students. Recently reopened following a makeover the pub is once more keen to offer musicians a platform. Upon arrival, the upstairs room was already busy with animated, loud chatter filling the air. They – predominately students – were there to hear Ada Francis.

Ada Francis and the Italic Quartet is/are a Newcastle University-based student band featuring Ada Francis singing a wide-ranging selection of standards supported by the Italics. The Italics comprise Jimmy Jefford, tenor saxophone, Ben Richardson, keyboards, Luke Gaul, bass and drummer Harry Still. Several familiar faces on the stand (Jefford runs the Bold Big Band) this was a first opportunity to hear Francis. Fly Me to the Moon, This Masquerade, so, this was to be the fayre. Initially, volume levels didn’t help our vocalist – the instrumentalists a little too loud and/or Francis a little too low in the mix. However, drummer Harry Still switching to brushes on You’ve Changed heard Ms Francis to best effect. More, please!

Autumn in Paris, with Francis sitting out, afforded the band the luxury of stretching out with Jefford commanding on tenor as Still engaged in a round of fours, seated bassist Luke Gaul impressed on a Latin-infused It Don’t Mean a Thing and pianist Richardson did everything, and more, required of him.

Francis continued to impress, not least first singing the verse to Someone to Watch Over Me. This was good stuff although, students being students, the audience (by now it was standing room only) made it difficult to hear our vocalist – shush! Cry Me a River, Agua de Beber, a brisk Summertime with Jefford flying and again on Giant Steps, North Terrace was the place to be. Our oh-so-noisy bright young things fell silent as Francis, with impeccable accompaniment from bassist Gaul, sang My Funny Valentine. Spine-tingling, absolutely fabulous! Our bright young things applauded long and hard.


Nature Boy flew, Over the Rainbow sambaed and Chick Corea’s 500 Miles High, with Francis’ vocals, concluded an enjoyable evening of straight ahead jazz. Ada Francis and the Italic Quartet can be heard fortnightly Thursdays at Las Iguanas on Grey Street, Newcastle
Russell                        

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