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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

17744 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 64 of them this year alone and, so far, 64 this month (Jan. 26).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Tue 28: ???

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Thu 30: Matters Unknown (aka Jonathan Enser, Nubiyan Twist) + support TBA @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £12.22 (gig & food); £9:04 (gig only).
Thu 30: Soznak @ The Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 30: Struggle Buggy @ Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Rhythm & blues.

Fri 31: Alan Barnes Quartet @ The Old Library, Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 12 noon-2:00pm (two sets). £12.00. admission (card or cash at the door). Barnes (alto sax, baritone sax, clarinet); Alan Law (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums). Note change of venue, no longer at Mrs M’s as advertised, the concert will be in the Old Library (Bishop Auckland Jazz’s regular venue). Important! It’s a ‘BYOB’ arrangement - ie bring your own booze (and/or tea, coffee, soft drinks).
Fri 31: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 31: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 31: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 31: Café Orkestar @ Café Under the Spire, Gateshead. 6:00pm. ‘Klezmer, Gypsy Jazz, Balkan & More!’.
Fri 31: Nothing in Rambling @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £10.00. + bf. Country blues duo.
Fri 31 Zoë Gilby Quartet @ Wylam Institute. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £15.00. + £1.50. bf.
Fri 31: Creakin’ Bones & the Sunday Dinners @ White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £10.00 + bf. Jazz, blues , jump jive, rock ‘n’ roll.
Fri 31: Alan Barnes Quartet @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £15.00 Barnes (alto sax, baritone sax, clarinet); Alan Law (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 31: SwanNek + Rivkala @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 8:00pm. SwanNek’s new single launch gig. Pilgrim, formerly Hoochie Coochie.
Fri 31: King Bees @ Blues Underground; Nelson St., Newcastle. 9:00pm. Free. Superb Chicago blues band.

February 2025

Sat 01: Alan Barnes & John Hallam with the Tom Kincaid Trio @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 01: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £25.00. Tutor: Steve Glendinning - Cy Coleman’s Witchcraft. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 01: Darling Dollies @ St George’s Church, Jesmond, Newcastle. 3:00pm. £10.00. Vocal trio.
Sat 01: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 01: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 01: Rockin’ Turner Brothers @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Western swing etc.

Sun 02: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 02: Lewis Watson Quartet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 02: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free (donations).
Sun 02: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 02: Spilt Milk @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 5:15-7:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 02: Jive Aces @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:00pm. Sun 02: John Pope + Andy Champion + Ian Paterson @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. ‘Subterranean Explorations 1’. Three (half hour) solo bass sets.
Sun 02: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 03: Andy Watt & Dan Rogers @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance. Jazz, blues, folk etc.
Mon 03: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. 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, April 11, 2018

CD Review: Alyn Cosker - KPF

(Review by Lance).
A lot of disparate, often quite ethnic, elements in this album of compositions by Cosker. Serenity, for example, has Paul Towndrow wailing over a background of fiddle, mandolin, accordion, piano, bass and drums. A cacophony at times, but not an unpleasant one, in fact, more soothing to my ear than many of today's contemporary offerings.
Yatey Ate is dedicated to bandleader Tim Barella who came from Sunderland. Cosker recalls how he'd call out "Right lads, number Yatey Ate" which turned out to be no. 88 in the pad - McArthur Park. Davie Dunsmuir and Steve Hamilton are featured here. McArthur Park isn't.
Rachel Lightbody provides the voice in Dragons.
An amazing range, heather-covered hillsides spring to mind rather than fire-breathing creatures - that's left to Tommy Smith's tenor. A compelling track.
Purely Intertwined is based on the notion that love and friendship are intertwined (they certainly should be!) Joe Locke and Dunsmuir solo with Cosker ever present in support as well as providing his own lines on the notion.
KPF: Inspired by fiance Kirsty, has Alyn Cosker playing solo piano. Seems as though her grandad had a car with a number-plate that had KPF in the registration. He told her the letters stood for Kirsty's Pretty Face. Time to say 'Ahhhh!'
Hee Haw Twice features Dunsmuir and Hamilton over a jazz-rock rhythm. As befits the mode, lots of electronic wizardry in Dunsmuir's blast which isn't entirely to my liking although I know I'm in the minority here.
Eddi Reader provides the voice on We Were Young. An emotive vocal with sympathetic piano from Jim Cosker. The Adventures of Feskelar has Alyn Cosker in full-flight as he portrays his pet spaniel (Feskelar) getting up to all sorts of mischief even into space with Dunsmuir providing lift-off and Hamilton steering. This one pumps up the adrenalin!
Could Be Fate: written to celebrate whatever road life takes you on. Guitar and piano once again to the fore, their lyricism underpinned by the composer's powerful support - no shrinking violet is Alyn and the album wouldn't work if he was!
Shoogly Paw, says Alyn, is dedicated, with love, to all those virtuosos he's had the pleasure of performing with. The title comes from his future father-in-law's description of their hands when they play fast passages. Tommy Smith's solo matches that description and maybe a bit more!
Alyn plays piano on Two Stars in the Sky and the wistful vocal is by Fraser Anderson. A very moving eulogy applicable to anyone who's lost someone.
Well worth checking out - www.alyncosker.co.uk.
Lance.
Alyn Cosker (drums/piano/shaker); Steve Hamilton (keys/piano); Marcio Doctor (perc.); Davie Dunsmuir (elec. guitar); Colin Cunningham (elec. bass) + (on various tracks) Fraser Anderson (vocals); Adam Bulley (mandoline); Jim Cosker (piano); Laurence Cottle (elec. bass); Fiona Hamilton (fiddle); Kirsty Johnson (accordion); Rachel Lightbody (vocals); Joe Locke (vibes); Chas MacKenzie (acoustic guitar); Eddi Reader (voocals); Tommy Smith (tenor); Paul Towndrow (alto).

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