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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.

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).

Mon 24: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 24: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. 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

Thursday, June 07, 2018

DJazz: The Durham City Jazz Festival: Fowler’s Yard Sunday - June 3

(Review by Russell)
Following Saturday’s frustrating washout, Sunday in Fowler’s Yard went ahead as scheduled. The DJazz free stage programme attracted a crowd despite the rather cool conditions. Fowler’s Yard’s Hill Island Brewery was open for business and a pint of Brubeck brewed especially for the festival was the obvious choice (see photo)!

Durham University student band WTFunk? opened the afternoon’s entertainment. An enthusiastic outfit, WTFunk? delivered an upbeat set as the audience grew minute by minute. Anyone strolling across Framwellgate Bridge couldn’t fail to hear the jazz emanating from below and doubtless the curious wandered down to see what was going on. 
On paper, Zach Fox with Strings looked like an interesting project. The Durham University student saxophonist had put together a regulation jazz group with the addition of a string quartet. Fox plays alto and tenor and the likelihood was alto sax would be his preferred horn – a la Bird – for this performance. Sure enough, Fox appeared with his alto case. Sound levels outdoors can be difficult at the best of times and the altoist took the time to get the balance right. The set comprised material by contemporary composers – Moonchild’s Cure, Christian Scott’s Perspectives, Ben Williams’ Lost and Found – together with two well-loved tunes,   Laura and Kamasi Washington’s arrangement of Clair de Lune. Perhaps it was the cool conditions and the distinct threat of rain but Fox’s set didn’t quite take off. Perhaps an indoor performance of this project could be the answer without any of the many on-street distractions.

Debra Milne and Steve Glendinning have been writing material together for some time. Voice and guitar duos are commonplace so perhaps original material is the way to go in an attempt to stand out from the crowd. From Show Me the Man to The Blame Game the Milne and Glendinning songbook formed the bulk of their set, vocalist Milne standing, guitarist Glendinning seated throughout. Milne chose to open their set with a Milne-Bradley Johnston composition titled The Pick Up. Later Milne turned to veteran pianist Alan Glen’s Dawn at Sunset. Perhaps it was the lack of the familiar – ie the GASbook – or perhaps it was the glowering rain clouds over Fowler’s Yard, but again the set didn’t quite hit the heights.

In recent times, Niffi Osiyemi has made a big impression at the Jazz Café’s bi-monthly jam session. The Newcastle based medical student arrived at Fowler’s Yard in good time, as did Paul Grainger. Five minutes before Osiyemi was due on stage there was no sign of pianist Alan Law. Hmm. Jazz musicians improvise, don’t they? Guitarist Steve Glendinning was still around so he readily agreed to play the set. The reformed Tyneside based trio took to the stage and, as Osiyemi counted in the first number, bassist Paul Grainger’s mobile rang. Guess who? Alan Law, that’s who! He’ll be here in five minutes, said Osiyemi. The trio didn’t hang around preferring to be Makin’ Whoopee. Pianist Alan Law duly arrived – better late than never! – and as he sat down at the piano received a round of applause prompting him to take a bow! Osiyemi’s swing dance friends got to their feet to swing it as the now quartet played Don’t Get Around Much Anymore. Well, things had certainly livened up, the weather was holding off, the bar was still open for business, so Osiyemi decided it was time to  Let the Good Times Roll. Glendinning and Law know each other from old so the quartet format was right up their street. As Osiyemi introduced Cry Me a River your correspondent made his excuses and headed for the barbershop…more about that in another review.  

Fast forward an hour or so, back in Fowler’s Yard, Stu Collingwood’s smokin’ Jimmy Smith organ sound echoed around Back Silver Street. Working with Collingwood on this DJazz date was Russ Morgan, surely the most in-demand drummer on the northeast scene. And there she was, petite, dressed in black, the one and only Mo Scott, singing Rockin’ Chair. If Mo Scott’s on the gig it can’t be anything other than a good one. Fever, Unchain My Heart, God Bless the Child, all very familiar yet, when Scott is the vocalist, let’s hear them one more time. But Beautiful then Mercy, Mercy, Mercy and she was gone.   
Russell

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