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Bebop Spoken There

Trevor Mires: ''My mum is a Dean Martin fan: I'm not, so I would grab my skateboard and get out of the house whenever I heard "Everybody Loves Somebody, Sometime." ". (Jazzwise, April 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

17957 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 278 of them this year alone and, so far, 34 this month (April 14).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Tue 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. Coquetdale Jazz.

Wed 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 23: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 23: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED!

Thu 24: Mary Coughlan @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £33.80. Blues, jazz etc.
Thu 24: Darlington Big Band @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 25: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT! Duo performance.
Fri 25: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 25: Andrea Vicari Trio @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. Vicari (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); Russ Morgan (drums).
Fri 25: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 25: Red Kites Jazz @ Land of Oak & Iron, Winlaton Mill. 6:00-9:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Fri 25: Struggle Buggy @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. Rhythm & blues.
Fri 25: Paul Skerritt Big Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £20.30., £18.00. All-star big band.
Fri 25: Andrea Vicari Trio @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Vicari (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); Russ Morgan (drums). An Opus 4 Jazz Club event.

Sat 26: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 26: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ Elvet Methodist Church, Durham. 7:30pm. Tickets: £12.00. + bf. Duo performance.
Sat 26: Neil Cowley Trio @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £22.50.
Sat 26: Pete Tanton & the Cuban Heels @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 27: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 27: Andrea Vicari Trio @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. Vicari (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Sun 27: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 27: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Xenopoulos, Edis, Paul Susans, Russ Morgan.
Sun 27: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 27: JustKing Jones @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £17.50. JustKing Jones (alto sax, soprano sax); Jordan Williams (piano); Jason Clotter (bass); Malcolm Charles (drums). Ace NYC outfit!
Sun 27: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 27: Swing Manouche @ Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7:30pm. £15.00. Tickets from 01665 711388.
Sun 27: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Xenopoulos, Edis, Ken Marley, Russ Morgan.

Mon 28: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 29: ???

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, April 07, 2018

GIJF Day 1: Tony Allen - A Tribute to Art Blakey; Zara McFarlane; Tiptoe - Sage Gateshead, April 6

Tony Allen (drums); Jean Phil Bary (piano/organ); Mathias Allamane (bass); ? (guitar); Nicolas Giraud (trumpet); Yann Jankieiewicz (tenor).
(Review by Lance/Zara McFarlane photo courtesy of Ken Drew.)
A tribute band can take two approaches: a) they can play the tried and tested hits that the audience recognise and start applauding a few bars in or, b) They attempt to convey the 'feel' of the original whilst putting their own take on the music. This latter approach is the more sensible, you're never going to beat the original - it's impossible - they got there first.
Wisely, Tony Allen took this latter approach looking more towards the later Blakey years rather than the Silver beginnings.
The 78-year-old drummer played a program with a strong ethnic feel to it as befitted a tribute to a man also known as 'Buhaina' and who himself [Allen] was born in Nigeria.
Not the overpowering backseat driver that Blakey was, Allen, nevertheless, kept the other five on their toes.
Particularly impressive were pianist Bary and bassist Allamane. The guitarist, sorry I didn't catch her name, had a good blast but I was disappointed not to hear more from the horns. When they did solo I wanted more but their position at the side of the stage indicated they were there as a section rather than individuals. 
All in all a good start to the weekend.
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Zara McFarlane (vocal); Peter Edwards (piano/synth); Max Luthert (bass); Sam Jones (drums); Binker Golding (tenor).
Zara McFarlane opened this three band bash (Sun Ra Arkestra review later) and it was an excellent start. Zara has good clear diction and a vocal range the envy of many of her contemporaries. A program of originals from her latest album Arise made for a steady, well-balanced set. Apart from the singer's outstanding performance, we had Binker Golding blowing tenor to die for. Binker without Moses may seem like Dec without Ant but both Binker and Moses are great musicians in their own right and, no doubt, they have many more duo gigs ahead. Tonight, however, it was Sam Jones behind the kit and he was awesome. So too was Peter Edwards on piano and synth all ably supported by Max Luthert on bass.
The shouted for and received encore was well-deserved. 
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Tiptoe: Alice Higgins (vocals); Will Blackstone (trumpet); Conall Mulvenna (guitar); Roz MacDonald (bass).
Down on The Concourse, the Jazz North supported 'Northern Line' ensemble Tiptoe served up the aperitif with a tasty selection of songs showcasing four fine musicians from Leeds. Catch them again - they're worth hearing in a more intimate setting.

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