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Bebop Spoken There

Trevor Mires: ''My mum is a Dean Martin fan: I'm not, so I would grab my skateboard and get out of the house whenever I heard "Everybody Loves Somebody, Sometime." ". (Jazzwise, April 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

17972 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 293 of them this year alone and, so far, 49 this month (April 22).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Fri 25: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT! Duo performance.
Fri 25: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 25: Andrea Vicari Trio @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. Vicari (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); Russ Morgan (drums).
Fri 25: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 25: Red Kites Jazz @ Land of Oak & Iron, Winlaton Mill. 6:00-9:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Fri 25: Struggle Buggy @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. Rhythm & blues.
Fri 25: Paul Skerritt Big Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £20.30., £18.00. All-star big band.
Fri 25: Andrea Vicari Trio @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Vicari (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); Russ Morgan (drums). An Opus 4 Jazz Club event.

Sat 26: Durham Alumni Big Band @ Number One Bar, Darlington. 12 noon. Free (donations).
Sat 26: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 26: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ Elvet Methodist Church, Durham. 7:30pm. Tickets: £12.00. + bf. Duo performance.
Sat 26: Neil Cowley Trio @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £22.50.
Sat 26: Pete Tanton & the Cuban Heels @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 27: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 27: Andrea Vicari Trio @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. Vicari (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Sun 27: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 27: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Xenopoulos, Edis, Paul Susans, Russ Morgan.
Sun 27: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 27: JustKing Jones @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £17.50. JustKing Jones (alto sax, soprano sax); Jordan Williams (piano); Jason Clotter (bass); Malcolm Charles (drums). Ace NYC outfit!
Sun 27: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 27: Swing Manouche @ Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7:30pm. £15.00. Tickets from 01665 711388.
Sun 27: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Xenopoulos, Edis, Ken Marley, Russ Morgan.

Mon 28: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 29: ???

Wed 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 30: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 30: International Jazz Day @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £16.00.; £14.00. adv.. Feat. Guido Spannocchi, John Pope & Steve Hanley + Take it to the Bridge participants + Open Mic Night participants.

MAY 2025

Thu 01: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Member’s Contribution.
Thu 01: Alabaster de Plume @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Thu 01: Living in Shadows + OUTRI @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Thu 01: The Shayo Experiment @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Shayo Oshodi & Liam Oliver.
Thu 01: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. 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

Sunday, June 03, 2018

DJazz: Durham City Jazz Festival - Jambone @ Redhills. June 2

(Review by Lance/Photos courtesy of Jerry).
We emptied the Empty Shop, our spirits buoyant (literally) as we floated uphill towards the old Durham Miners Hall at Redhills. Russell stopped off for a pint whilst I opted for a Chicken Biryani in a nearby curry caff. 
Thirst quenched and hunger pangs assuaged, we took our pew in the Grade ll listed building just in time to hear a little of the venue's history* before Jambone lit the blue touchpaper.
All four members of the current Francis Tulip Quartet had emerged from previous editions of the Sage Gateshead's pride and joy - second only to the Northern Sinfonia in prestige - and one of them, Ben Lawrence, is still there, at least for this term.
Jambone's program would appear to become more adventurous with each incarnation and this one is very much built around the Norma Winstone-like talents of 16-year-old Emily McDermott. The vocalist has a purity of tone that belies her years whilst still maintaining the essential jazz feel.
Rome Wasn't Built in a Day (and nor was Jambone) displayed these talents in abundance along with several other soloists. Lucien Guest, Ryan de Silva - Thelonious Monk, Buddy de Franco - Lucien and Ryan were surely destined by name to become jazz musicians and their solos proved it! Ben Lawrence we knew from previous, Imogen Davies-Pugh we didn't but we do now.
Hymn Tune began with bowed bass, dissonant reeds and soulful (not soul) tenor from Knivett before Emily took it up with Metcalf blowing flugel in the background.
The final 20 minutes or so comprised a medley, or rather a suite, by James Brady based around Northumbrian folk tunes.
Did it have a title? I'm sure it did, although I didn't catch it. Nor did I recognise all the melodies apart from Waters of Tyne and Bobby Shafto. Just about everyone who hadn't already soloed had a bite starting with a full-toned, melancholy trombone solo from Kate Garnett. Even MD Edis had a few bars on alto. Emily, of course, stamped her brand on the vocals, Thompson, Alex, blew some gutsy tenor and Thompson, Dylan, switched to mallets. Shipsey discarded upright bass for bass guitar and Bobby Shafto went off on the high seas whilst the trumpets were up in the high c area.
And then it was all over and the 'roadies' began to clear the stage in preparation for Soweto Kinch giving us time to reflect on the magic that Paul Edis has weaved, not just with the current line-up but with all the previous versions, long may it continue. A band such as this cannot not be allowed to continue to provide the musical education at a level lacking in so many of our schools. Indeed musical education at any level seems to be on the decline. Invite your MP to Jambone's next performance...
Lance.

Paul Edis (MD/alto); Lucien Guest, James Metcalf, Edward Hogben (trumpets); Kate Garnett (trombone); Imogen Davies-Pugh, Megan Robinson (flute); Haaruun Miller, Ella Talbot (alto); Ben Knivett, Alex Thompson (tenor); Ryan de Silva (baritone); Ben Lawrence (piano); Matthew Downey (guitar); Alex Shipsey (bass/bass guitar); Dylan Thompson (drums); Emily McDermott (vocal).

*In days gone by, Redhills was the hub for representatives of the 298 collieries in the Durham coalfield and, with two of the banners looking down upon the stage it brought back memories of when I, as a callow youth, proudly marched into Durham on Gala Day blowing 3rd cornet behind the men and women of Usworth Colliery, now, like the other 297 long gone. 
Ah! memories...

2 comments :

JERRY said...

I believe the title was simply JAMBONE SUITE.
Having seen the same set-list performed at the GIJF earlier this year, it is clear that this incredibly talented ensemble are still getting better and better. Congrats!

Jerry said...

Rothbury Hills, Remember Me and Byker Hill were the other three titles in JAMBONE SUITE (or was it JAMBONE SET?)
Jambone were brilliant at the GIJF earlier in the year and even better now! Congratulations to all concerned.

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