Bebop Spoken There

Ron Carter quoting Sonny Rollins: ''What we call jazz - that's keeping the world in equilibrium. I don't care what kind of music you like out here today. It all comes from jazz.'' (DownBeat August, 2026)

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

18818 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 682 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 20) 51.

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

From This Moment On

August

Tue 25: Michael Young Trio @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED!

Wed 26: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 26: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 26: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 27: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 27: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 27: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Thu 27: 58 Jazz Collective @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Stranton, Hartlepool. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 27: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00.

Fri 28: Graham Hardy Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 28: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 28: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 28: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.

Sat 29: Brian Jackson @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 8:30pm (doors). £32.00.

Sun 30: Musicians Unlimited @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: Tango Jazz Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 31: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Sunday, April 08, 2018

GIJF Day 2: On the Concourse - Sage Gateshead, April 7


Baba: Tom Dixon (alto); Dominica Ostrega (vocal); Ines Gonçalves (piano); Alex Shipsey (bass guitar); Dylan Thompson (drums).
(Review by Lance).
The second of six scheduled free performances on the Concourse (performances one and five to be reviewed separately. Number six was, unfortunately, cancelled).
Baba may be young (as the name implies?) but, already they have made their individual presences known at jam sessions and as part of the various Sage Gateshead educational projects such as Jazz Attack and Jambone. 
Led by Tom Dixon who looked like a battle-scarred veteran in comparision to his youthful charges, blew fine alto - we never expect less from him - and the Portuguese contingent (pianist and vocalist) were worthy ambassadors. Shipsey played bass with a maturity that belied his years as did drummer Dylan of the Thompson Dynasty.
A most enjoyable half hour.

The Nordanians: Oene Geel (viola/vocal); Mark Tuinistra (guitar); Niti Ranjan Biswas (tablas).
An energetic Dutch trio enlivened the afternoon with some generated excitement that included Dutch scat singing as well as impressive guitar licks and viola solos. I say viola because that's what the blurb said but it looked and sounded to me like a violin or else it was a very small viola. So, what - it was fun!

Sunna Gunnslargh (piano). Think of Iceland and you think of Glaciers, Bjork or 2 for the price of 1 takeaway meals. Today, however, when I think of Iceland it will be Sunna Gunnslaugh that I will be thinking of. The Icelandic pianist played a most enjoyable half hour of originals plus her take on Let me Know Before You Go Go.
Nice one.
Lance.

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