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HOWAY THE LADS!

Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: '' A Love Supreme coincided with my search for meaning in life". (DownBeat, March 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

17873 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 194 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (March 14).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Sun 16: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 16: Pearl Blossoms @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Ragtime.
Sun 16: Hot 8 Brass Band @ Wylam Brewery. 7:30pm. ‘Big Tuba Tour’.
Sun 16: ARQ @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 16: Air4ce @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 8:30pm (8:00pm doors). £12.00.; £10.00. Tom Atkinson’s all-star band (line-up inc. Lindsay Hannon & Sue Ferris).
Sun 16: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 17: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 17: Jamie Toms Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Laurence Harrison, Paul Grainger, Tim Johnston.
Tue 18: Phil Bancroft’s Beautiful Storm @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £13.20 & £11.00.. A JNE-Gem Arts co-promotion.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Nicknames.
Thu 20: Terri Green Experience @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £15.90.
Thu 20: Lindsay Hannon Trio @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Hannon’s ‘Tom Waits for No Man’ set.
Thu 20: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:30pm. Free.

Fri 21: Paul Skerritt @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 21: Giles Strong Quartet @ 1719, Hendon, Sunderland. 7:30pm. CANCELLED!
Fri 21: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Featuring special guest Martin Litton (piano).

Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30pm-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 22: Swamp Stomp String Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Sat 22: Rivkala @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sun 23: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 23: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Mississippi MacDonald @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. Blues.
Sun 23: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: The Great Deceivers @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Tom Atkinson & co play King Crimson (1969-1974). Atkinson (guitar); Josh Bentham (alto sax); Stu Dawson (bass); Jeff Armstrong (drums).

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

Thursday, May 03, 2018

Remi Harris Trio @ The Jazz Café, Newcastle - May 2

Remi Harris (guitars,  ukulele); Caley Groves (rhythm guitar); Mike Green (double bass)
(Review by Russell)
Some eagerly anticipated gigs meet or exceed expectations and this first Newcastle appearance by Remi Harris ticked every box. Guitarist Harris arrived in good time with rhythm guitarist Caley Groves, bassist Mike Green and tour manager Dani Harris. The trio set up, sound checked, then, perhaps, went for a wander. Whatever their pre-gig routine they were on the premises in time for the first of two sets beginning at eight o’clock.
The upstairs room of the Jazz Café on Pink Lane proved the ideal space; Remi’s array of guitars (see photos) sparkled under the stage lights as the trio relaxed on sofas (Caley and Mike), Remi preferring a basic chair and, perhaps tellingly, with guitar in hand. One imagines that our guitarist from rural Worcestershire is rarely without one of his guitars. Is he a guitar obsessive? Probably! This would go some way in explaining the remarkable talent of a young man who appeared to be rather shy and for the first twenty minutes or so Harris let his guitar do the talking for him.
 
Introductions would follow but for now, the music spoke; a few bars of All the Things You Are then into Can’t Buy Me Love. Harris is known as a ‘Hot Cub’ or ‘gypsy jazz’ guitarist, yet there is more, much more to him than that. Yes, Django is a key figure, as is Wes Montgomery, and a mean low down blues is in Harris’ locker, as is a ukulele! Caravan’s double swing time sections – Caley and Mike were all over it – showcased the trio’s near-telepathic understanding, scarcely a glance such was the trust between them. Remi conjured – it was as if by magic – an amazing intro to Pennies from Heaven and, as we were to discover, he has a penchant for a fleeting quote, on this number Percy Grainger’s Country Gardens. The Meters’ Cissy Strut worked well alongside Nature Boy (the latter featuring one of many fine solos from accomplished bassist Mike Green) as Remi switched from his beautiful Maccaferri (obtained from a luthier in Cumbria, rhythm guitarist Caley acquired his own equally fine Maccaferri in Paris) to powder blue Strat to a twelve string to a Les Paul for a Peter Green homage playing Need Your Love So Bad.

From time to time Harris utilised a pedal board to good effect yet it was his sheer virtuosity which transfixed an attentive audience. The setlist was in the heads of all three musicians, a written setlist wasn’t required and the breadth of material was no doubt designed to maintain interest – their interest and that of the audience. More from the Fab Four – Here, There and Everywhere – and a quite amazing ukulele/double bass rendition of All of Me and as the evening progressed the main man opened up to the audience talking about his many guitars (the Jazz Café resembled a guitar shop…home from home for Remi as he used to work in one!) and the development of his chosen instrument. Remi name-checked French guitarist Dorado Schmitt suggesting he was an important bridge between Django’s era and the many Hot Club guitarists of today. Fittingly the Remi Harris Trio played Bossa Dorado.
There was so much brilliant guitar playing; Freddie King, a fleeting quote from early Led Zeppelin, Wes Montgomery (tellingly Remi said he would take Wes to his desert island) and of course there was Django Reinhardt. Tyneside has waited a long time to hear Remi Harris, let’s hope he returns
before long.                       
Russell

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