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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

17777 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 98 of them this year alone and, so far, 23 this month (Feb.8).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Tue 11: Steve Summers Quintet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm.

Wed 12: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Jam session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 12: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 13: Student Performances @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 4:00pm. Free. Inc. Olly Styles (tenor sax).
Thu 13: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: Artist Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Hannabiell & Midnight Blue.
Thu 13: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 14: John Rowland Trio @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 12:30-1:30pm. £5.00. at the door. New second Friday in the month concert series.
Fri 14: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 14: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 14: Archipelago + Anna Tempest @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £8.00.
Fri 14: Paul Jones & Dave Kelly @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. Rhythm & blues.
Fri 14: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Fri 14: Jazz Sabbath @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 15: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 15: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 15: Elkie Brooks @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. ‘The Long Farewell Tour’.
Sat 15: Milne Glendinning Band @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 16: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs 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.
Sun 16: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 17: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 17: Russ Morgan Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

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

Jam session @ The Jazz Café - Feb 6

(Review by Russell)
Lots of new faces at the Jazz Café’s bi-monthly jam session and one or two first time sitters-in. The Pink Lane venue was as busy as ever as pianist James Harrison got things underway with A Train ably abetted by mainstay bassist Paul Grainger and drummer Russ Morgan. Harrison likes to enjoy himself as he plays and his infectious enthusiasm energised musicians and listeners alike ensuring the evening flew by. I’ll Remember April then the floor was open to all-comers.
Drummer Hazem ‘Mo’ Mohammad couldn’t wait to get started and he was joined by George Sykes on tenor to play Blue Monk, a swift Beautiful Love, and a quote-laden There Will Never be Another You. Flautist Josie Bennington – ‘That’s Josie from Haltwhistle’ said JB – joined the party on I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to be Free and it wasn’t long before Alan Law stepped up, thus allowing house pianist Harrison to take a breather. 
Blue Bossa was right up Law’s street as Joe Shaw gave fellow drummer Mo a break. The jam session’s rotating cast of sitters-in included Paul Gowland on tenor for a change and as space was at a premium he took a seat in the stalls to play sitting down – standing or sedentary, it made no difference, the end result was the same, ie some terrific tenor playing from PG.

Guitarist Keith Barrett impressed on How High the Moon? as John Pope put in an appearance. Ah,  a chance for Paul Grainger to be freed from bass duties and he made a bee-line for the bar! Black Orpheus featured Pope, and, before long, newcomer Nifemi Osiyemi sang Ain’t Misbehavin’ and a rousing Is You Is or Is You Ain’t My Baby? reminiscent of Julija Jacenaite. Speaking of JJ… in she walked. Well, what would she have for us this evening? All of Me and Julija gave it everything. The new faces in the audience loved it as Julija rang the very last drop from her now-familiar theatrical performance.
With the house rhythm section restored, Paul Gowland booted, Buddy Tate-style, Tangerine from pillar to post. Who’d want to would follow that? The Bold Big Band’s Jimmy Jefford wasn’t deterred as he joined an insane take on Caravan – all ten minutes of it as the clock approached eleven. So, another Jazz Café jam session, another full house, next one Tuesday 20 February, eight o’clock.
(Russell)

James Harrison (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass) & Russ Morgan (drums) + Hazem ‘Mo’ Mohammad (drums); George Sykes (tenor saxophone); Josie Bennington (flute); Paul Gowland (tenor saxophone); Alan Law (piano); Joe Shaw (drums); Keith Barrett (guitar); Nifemi Osiyemi (vocals); Julija Jacenaite (vocals); John Pope (double bass); Jimmy Jefford (tenor saxophone)         

2 comments :

Anonymous said...

Wellington? Music for a rainy Day? It’s Josie Bennington. None taken😎

Russell said...

My apologies Josie.

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