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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, March 17, 2018

Good for Jamie Cullum.

On Tuesday night, before his weekly Jazz Show on Radio Two, Jamie said to Simon Mayo that he was paying tribute to Quincy Jones on the eve of his 85th birthday. Mayo asked him about the comments Quincy made about that pop group - you know the one - and his response was “He's Quincy Jones, he can say what he likes” and “Good for him.”
There's been lots of discussion on social media along the lines of what has Quincy Jones ever done for us? Apart from the Jazz, like Dizzy and many others, aside from some of the most memorable theme tunes ever, like Heat of the Night and Ironside, apart from the small matter of Frank Sinatra, aside from the Brothers Johnson, Patti Austin and Benson, apart from Miles' return to the music he made with Gil Evans shortly after his death, what did Q ever do for us to compare to the Beatles?
Ben E king once said that Black America couldn't compete with the Beatles and their haircuts. Maybe if we'd had Michael Jackson.
Q and MJ destroyed them at their own game with Off the Wall and Thriller.
Steve T.

5 comments :

Russell said...

To our BSH ‘prog rock’ correspondent: And I Love Her, Anytime at All, Don’t Let Me Down, Eleanor Rigby, A Hard Day’s Night, I Feel Fine, I Saw Her Standing There, Nowhere Man, Paperback Writer, She Loves You, Something, This Boy, Twist and Shout, Yer Blues and You’re Going to Lose That Girl…unsurpassed vocal harmonies; Lennon’s definitive rock vocals on Twist and Shout; the lyrics ‘Well she was just seventeen, You Know What I Mean’ and ‘You’re going to lose that girl’ – more wonderful vocal harmonies. Your honour, I rest my case.

Lance said...

"You’re Going to Lose That Girl…unsurpassed vocal harmonies"
Unsurpassed vocal harmonies?! I suggest a course of LHR; Man Tran; 4 Freshmen or the Boswell/Andrews Sisters.

Anonymous said...

I think having a dig at prog rock is unfair... It's more related to jazz than anything the beatles ever did. Also "unsurpassed vocal harmonies?" Really? It's generally pretty standard pop harmony. Check out some more serious music for unsurpassed harmonies... and some serious rock for "definitive rock vocals"
John

Steve T said...

I recall Andy Sheppard doing And I love Her and being surprised that it worked (I believe Lance saw Roland Kirk do it). Shortly after I heard Vanessa Feltz play it on the radio (you're in good company believers) and realised how terrible the vocals were.
The only rock record they ever made was Tomorrow Never Knows and George Martin had the decency to distort the silly voice.
Impressions, Dells, OJays, Chilites, Tops, Temps, Blue Magic, Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes, Dramatics, Spinners, Whispers, Soul Children, Facts of Life, Temprees, Isleys, Abyssinians, Heptones, Culture, Black Uhuru, Maytals, Wailers etc. etc.
Ironically, all the kiddies pop groups knew their place, just their screaming fans didn't and by the Gallaghers they'd become all things to all people. But singers? Really?

Steve T said...

Manhattan Transfer; you're not as stupid as I look. Considered a bit novelty where I come from but one of them does a brilliant job duetting with Leon Ware on Why I came to California. Check out Dr Buzzards Original Savannah Band (though not for vocal harmonies)for the real thing (where I come from) but you may think THEM a little novelty. Still haven't got LHR but I'll no doubt kick myself.

Yes are playing Sage tonight so expect loads of Jazz influenced guitar, extended passages, difficult time signatures and lots of other techniques shamelessly plundered from Jazz and classical music.
Incidentally, Steve Howe has recently called Quincy Jones' comments pathetic, so he should know his place and know better. Beatles fans aren't about to start buying Yes records Steve; they like the karaoke music and only buy the other music the media tells them to buy; so Bob Dylan, Pet Sounds, Bowie and punkrock (on vinyl).

Moments, Manhattans, Main Ingredient, Delfonocs, Techniques, Paragons, Melodians, Alton Ellis and the Flames etc. etc.

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