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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

Sun 09: The New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 09: Glenn Miller & Big Band Spectacular @ The Forum, Billingham. 3:00pm.
Sun 09: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Tom Remon & Mark Williams @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 09: Rod Oughton’s Tomorrow’s New Quartet with Ben van Helder @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Line-up inc. Deschanel Gordon.
Sun 09: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 10: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

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.

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

Friday, May 04, 2018

Alan Barnes & Paul Edis @ the Lit & Phil - May 4

Alan Barnes (alto/clarinet); Paul Edis (piano).
(Review by Lance/photos courtesy of Jerry)
What better way is there to while away an hour than by listening to Alan Barnes and Paul Edis in the intimate surroundings of Newcastle's Literary and Philosophical Society?
The monthly miniature jazz concerts held in the venerable building are well-supported and justifiably so. In Paul Edis and Alan Barnes, you have the perfectly matched pair with each one seemingly reading the other's mind.
Opening up with Joyspring, the ideas just flowed from Barnes' innermost soul to emerge from the bell of his trusty Mark Vl alto. Not to be outdone, Edis too dealt himself a few aces before rounding off the number with the obligatory fours. Normally, fours leave me cold but, when done without a drummer nailing the floorboards down they are much more acceptable - and musical.
For Some Time Ago, a waltz by Argentinian composer/pianist Sergio Mihanovich, Barnes switched to clarinet remarking, in the process, of Tony Eales' strange dislike of the instrument. What's not to like? It was quite beautiful! Edis' final chord took everyone, Barnes included, by surprise.
Come in Senor Jobim, he's never far away. Corcovado, the mountain in Rio had our duo in bossa nova mode. The final fours or was it eights? saw their lines entwine contrapuntally. 
Apart from being a superb pianist, Edis is also a composer of merit and the next two compositions were his. Whiskers displayed both of those talents to the full. The head had a Monkish feel to it whilst the piano solo broke into a stride chorus. Barnes, needless to say, sight-read the part with ease and there were a few bars that may have saw a lesser player stumble, but not Alan Barnes although he did have to put his specs on.
The second piece, Breathless, was a waltz that Paul had adapted from an arrangement for trio and choir, Alan returned to clarinet (with a suitable aside to Tony Eales) for this one.
From here on in and on to the finish line, it was all Charlie Parker. Lover Man; Ornithology and Au Privave - and who better to play them?
Then it was all over! Could an hour really go by that quickly?
The applause for the two players was both deafening and deserving.
Come back soon - what am I saying? 
Alan Barnes is with the Durham Alumni Big Band at the Dolphin Centre, Darlington this Saturday (May 5) and with the Paul Edis Trio this Sunday afternoon (May 6) at Bondgate Methodist Church, Darlington - 2pm. Both gigs as part of the Darlington Jazz Festival.
The pair are also in church on May 17 at St. James' and St. Basil's in Fenham. 7:30pm. This is also Barnes with the Edis Trio. 

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