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Bebop Spoken There

Xhosa Cole: ''Monk was unapologetically himself". (Jazzwise, 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

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

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.

Tue 04: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, North St., Ferryhill DL17 8HX. 7:00pm. Free.
Tue 04: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Ben Phillips, Paul Grainger, Bailey Rudd.
Tue 04: Dilutey Juice + Life Aquatics Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Wed 05: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 05: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 05: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. 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, May 02, 2018

Jazz Café Jam Session - May 1.

(Review by Lance)
With James Harrison on keyboards, I knew this would be no ordinary jam and it wasn't! Young 'Jack-in-a-Box' is guaranteed to enliven any gathering - sometimes to excess - and this was no exception.
Bourbon St. Parade was an unlikely opener with James ripping through the traditional New Orleans flag-waver like as though he was in a bar off Congo Square. Russ Morgan kept up the Red Beans and Rice flavour with some parade drumming whilst a bemused Paul Grainger played all the right notes in all the right places.
In a Mellow Tone and the seemingly obligatory bossa nova (Summer Samba aka So Nice) followed before it was time to start the jam session proper!
First up was Kate O'Neill with God Bless the Child and Alfie. The latter tune owed nothing to Cilla Black and had some impish piano from James.

Ray Johnson played bebop on, I think, Moments Notice (I'm guessing!) and Polka Dots and Moonbeams (not guessing). Dan Garel blew some dazzling alto on Stella by Starlight and another tune I vaguely recognised. A newcomer on drums - Michael Young - slotted in well.

Get James Harrison and, nine times out of ten, you get Paul Skerritt.
Tonight, the South Shields' Sinatra sang It's Only a Paper Moon and Don't Get Around Much Anymore. With Dan Garel on alto, it went down well.

Another singing sensation took to the ‘stage’ - Nifemi Osiyemi. I Just Want to Make Love to You (the line was already forming) and it was one soulful rendition - this girl don't take no prisoners! Wow! Makin' Whoopee followed by which time Paul Gowland was blowing soprano.

Paul stayed in the spotlight for My Favourite Things and My Foolish Heart with Hazem 'Mo' Mohammed now on drums.
Change of pianist. Ben Richardson, a regular 'jammer', played a sensitive version of I Can't Get Started. 


John Pope, fresh from a visit to the barbershop, took over from Paul Grainger on bass with the frontline now Garel and David 'Showtime' Gray and yet another drummer, Harry Still.
Don't ask me what they played but it was a rouser that brought the house down.


They were going through drummers tonight like Sunderland go through managers and John Bradford was the next one to bite the bullet as they introduced one another to Miss Jones. We've met the lady a few times but she keeps coming back for more and I'm sure she enjoyed this romp as much as we did.

Paul Skerritt returned for the finale. Not just Paul, but just about everyone still standing, including the hip-swivelling Osiyemi. They were Letting the Good Times Roll.
It had been quite a night.
Lance 
James Harrison (keys); Paul Grainger (bass); Russ Morgan (drums) + Kate O'Neill (vocals); Ray Johnson (trumpet); Dan Garel (alto); Michael Young (drums); Paul Skerritt (vocal); Nifemi Osiyemi (vocals); Paul Gowland (soprano); Hazem 'Mo' Mohammed (drums); Ben Richardson (piano); Harry Still (drums); John Pope (bass); John Bradford (drums); David 'Showtime' Gray (trombone).


PS: For the final number James switched from electric piano to steam piano as this photo by Russell shows.

1 comment :

ray johnson said...

Yes it was Moment's Notice Lance.

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