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Bebop Spoken There

Van Morrison: ''Basically, I'm coming from jazz. Not pop, not rock, not what's commercial. That's where I started, and that's still where I am. I feel the same as I did when I was listening to Louis Armstrong, Lead Belly, Jelly Roll Morton''. (The Northern Echo, 12 June 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

1803759 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 480 of them this year alone and, so far, 58 this month (June 18).

From This Moment On ...

JUNE 2025

Thu 19: Gareth John & the SOS Big Band @ The Forum Music Centre, Darlington. 7:00pm. £25.00. CANCELLED!

Fri 20: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 20: David Gray's Flextet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 20: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. £21.50. ‘Time After Time’.
Fri 20: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm.
Fri 20: King Bees @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. Superb Chicago blues band.

Sat 21: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 21: Red Kites Jazz @ Staithes Café, Dunston. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Sat 21: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 22: Phoenix 4 @ Wallington, Northumberland. 12 noon-1:00pm & 2:00-3:00pm. Tel: 01670 773606. National Trust admission prices apply. ‘Tunes in the Blooms’.
Sun 22: Lapwing Trio @ Wallington, Northumberland. 1:00-2:00pm. Tel: 01670 773606. National Trust admission prices apply. ‘Tunes in the Blooms’.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Jason Isaacs Trio @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 4:00pm. £18.00. + £1.08 bf.
Sun 22: JazzMain @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 23: MSK Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance.
Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club (1:00pm). Free.

Tues 24: ???

Wed 25: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 25: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 25: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 25: The Magpies of Swing @ The Roxy, Leadgate, Co. Durham. 7:30pm. A Ginger Jitterbugs swing dance event, all welcome.

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: Haircut, Wash & Dry - June 3

(Review by Russell)
One of the attractions of DJazz is the use of quirky Durham City locations as festival venues. The unexpected and unusual spark interest; Durham Castle, for example, Empty Shop is anything but empty and disused, and then there is a barber’s shop and a launderette. Sunday’s schedule at the festival hub in Fowler’s Yard ran from noon ’til late with some choosing to base themselves there for the duration. Others, including your BSH correspondent, attempted to catch performances, or part performances, at other venues. This meant departing midway through Niffi Osiyemi’s set with the firm intention of returning to catch some of Stu Collingwood’s set (see Fowler’s Yard review).

A stroll over Framwellgate Bridge, up North Road, turn into Neville Street and a few doors up the festival’s smallest venue was open for business. The Barber of Neville offers a haircut, of course,   art on the walls (printmaker Anja Percival), and a bar. During DJazz there is jazz at the Barber of Neville. It isn’t the biggest space – a duo, trio at best – and on the final day of this year’s sold out festival John Pope and Faye MacCalman set up in the shop window to play two short sets.
Sporting a crew cut, double bassist John Pope would later pay a visit to the launderette – more on that later – but for now he stood alongside Faye MacCalman (tenor sax and clarinet) to play a few numbers by some of their favourite composers including Billy Bang’s Nothing But Love, JuJu from Wayne Shorter’s all-star 60s outfit, and the title track from Thelonious Monk’s 1962 album Monk’s Dream. The interval provided an opportunity to slip away and head over to Empty Shop to catch a set by the Durham University Jazz Soc Septet. A review will follow, however, it seems sensible to skip ahead to Alan Glen’s Old Cinema Launderette gig because John Pope was also on that gig!

Hot foot from the barbershop. John Pope teamed up once again with Paul Wight to support pianist Alan Glen at the Old Cinema Launderette in Gilesgate Moor. BSH caught up with Maestro Glen at the midway point in the cycle. Sorry! The venue is a working launderette (see photo…Daz, Persil!), although on the evening no one was washing their smalls, during the day customers sit in front of the machines, this evening they were sitting right in front of Messrs Glen, Pope and Wight. ‘Hello’ to Paul Wight, and ‘hello’ to Alan Glen. JP was out front taking the air.

The second set: typical Glen, no announcements, simply play the tune and let the music (modern jazz) speak for itself. Fresh from his earlier duo gig, JP focused on Glen’s setlist, drummer Wight excelled in his use of brushes (at a lick when called upon), the bass and drums partnership more than up to the job of accompanying Alan Glen. Someday My Prince Will Come, Rollin’ Sid and All Blues were at the heart of a fine performance and at the end of the cycle, sorry, evening, the Old Cinema Launderette patrons showed their appreciation.   
Russell

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