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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

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. 1:00-2:00pm. £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: Fiona Finden’s Jazz Express @ Flash House Brewing Co., North Shields. 8:00pm.
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: 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: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
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. .

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.

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, March 07, 2018

Daniel Levin (cello) + Squeteague @ The Bridge Hotel, Newcastle - March 4

Squeteague Graeme Wilson (saxes); Andy Champion (bass); Stu Brown (drums)
(Review/photos by Steve H)
What a fabulous night of improvised music the capacity audience experienced at The Bridge on Sunday night. Headliner Daniel Levin had not appeared in Newcastle since the ‘On the Outside’ festival of 2009 and one can only say his return to the North East was an absolute triumph.
The cello is one of the most beautiful of classical instruments able to evoke vibrancy and melancholy in equal measure; however, it is not commonly featured in the world of jazz compared to its smaller cousin the violin.  Why this is so I am not sure, but if there was a free jazz ambassador for this instrument Daniel Levin would surely be it. One of the joys of his performance was simply not knowing what was going to happen next, for there were classical, minimalist, free, gentle and ferocious sections throughout.
Levin seemed to employ every single part of the cello, sometimes several at the same time, as he plucked, bowed, tweaked and rapped the instrument. Anyone not in the room could have been forgiven if they had thought there was more than one player on stage. The effect was both riveting and mesmerising.
Levin also added his own unique percussion effects to proceedings. These included ‘cutting’ the air with his bows and the use of what I thought at first was his setlist. Several pieces of note paper were torn, rustled and shuffled to great visual and percussive effect.  A wonderful performance which I believe surpassed many people’s already high expectations of what the evening would deliver.
The interval saw the launch of a new career as Zoe Gilby turned auctioneer extraordinaire as she expertly auctioned off a Gina Southgate print of an original painted at the ‘On The Outside’ festival in 2009. The print featured not only Daniel Levin but also Andy Champion who was to perform with Squeteague in the second half of this double bill.
Squeteague came together in Glasgow in 2017 for a one-off gig but enjoyed it so much they decided to do it again. Jazz North East were happy to fulfil this desire. After the pyrotechnics of Daniel Levin, it took me a while to get into the set but once I did I thoroughly enjoyed this skilful and sometimes funky free improv combo. At the end of the Squeteague’s set Daniel Levin was asked to join the trio and what followed were two absolutely stupendous pieces of improvised music. At the conclusion of the performance, the audience seemed completely spellbound having been party to a memorable and life-affirming evening of contemporary jazz.
Steve H.

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