Bebop Spoken There

Joe Alterman: ''All I wanted to do growing up was to sound like Erroll Garner playing "Poor Butterfly." I thought that was the coolest sound I'd ever heard.'' (DownBeat November, 2026)

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

19,066 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 930 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Oct. 31) 109.

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

From This Moment On

November

Wed 04: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 04: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 04: An Evening of Erykah Badu @ Holy GrAle, Durham. 7:30pm. £3.00.; £2.50. A Durham University Jazz Society event.
Wed 04: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 05: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 05: Hejira - Celebrating Joni Mitchell @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm.
Thu 05: Cut Capers @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors).
Thu 05: Northern Reaches @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free (donations). Pete Tanton, Joe Steels, Laurence Blackadder, John Hirst.
Thu 05: Fergus McCreadie @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.
Thu 05: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free.

Fri 06: Mike Durham’s International Classic Jazz Party @ Village Hotel, West Allotment. 12 noon. Day 1/3.
Fri 06: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 06: Jazz Night: Bridget Metcalfe @ Saltburn House Hotel. From 6:00pm. Tickets: £40.00 (inc. a two-course meal & glass of Prosecco). Tel: 01287 658977.
Fri 06: The Exu + Kraabel/Harrison/Birchall @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 8:00pm. JNE.

Sat 07: Mike Durham’s International Classic Jazz Party @ Village Hotel, West Allotment. 12 noon. Day 2/3.
Sat 07: Ewan Bleach’s Cable Street Ragtime Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington.
12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club. Superb band.
Sat 07: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Find Your Pocket: Funk & Groove. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 07: Red Kites Jazz @ Costa Café, St James’ Retail Park, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sat 07: Ray Stubbs’ R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers, Newcastle. 6:00pm.

Sun 08: Mike Durham’s International Classic Jazz Party @ Village Hotel, West Allotment. 12 noon. Day 3/3.
Sun 08: Greg Abate w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 08: Kaberry Big Band @ Forest Hall Social Club. 3:00pm. £7.00 (inc. tea & cake). Charity event for the Poppy Appeal.
Sun 08: Greg Abate w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 09: Bechet-Spanier Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00.; £5.00. Muggsy Spanier was born 125 years ago today (9 November 1901). This afternoon’s all-star quartet - from London, Lewis Taylor (cornet) & Michael McQuaid (reeds), from Paris, Félix Hunot (guitar), from London, Harry Evans (string bass) - salutes Muggsy!
Mon 09: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 09: Bechet-Spanier Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00. Muggsy Spanier was born 125 years ago today (9 November 1901). This evening’s all-star quartet - from London, Lewis Taylor (cornet), from London, Michael McQuaid (reeds), from Paris, Félix Hunot (guitar), from London, Harry Evans (string bass) - salutes Muggsy!

Tue 10: Alan Law @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free. Alan Law (piano) w. Becky Tuck (vocals).
Tue 10: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Friday, July 20, 2018

Francis Tulip Quartet @The Fox Inn, Hexham - July 17

Francis Tulip (guitar); Joel Brown (piano); Michael Dunlop (bass); Matthew MacKellar (drums)
(Review by Russell)
Thumbs up to the Edinburgh-Newcastle rail service. It was on time - why shouldn't it be? - thus enabling your correspondent to dash up to Hexham to catch the Francis Tulip Quartet's return visit to Hexham Jazz Club. 
The Fox Inn was busy. Francis Tulip & co were sitting outside making the most of the summer weather before the start of their first set at eight thirty. A Deuchar's the choice, 'hello' to Tom, Ines and Jamie, a seat, 'hello' to Mike and Pauline - they had come from all parts.
The Francis Tulip quartet is the band of the moment; all 'vacationing' - Tulip home from Birmingham, Joel Brown chilling in Whitley Bay, Michael Dunlop temporarily escaping 'The Smoke' and Matt MacKellar eyeing a return to Boston, Massachusetts. 

First set: Milestones, MacKellar first up with a solo, the standard set. By way of contrast Darn That Dream featured Tulip in relaxed mode. Hearing the quartet on a regular basis allows the listener to note subtle changes, on occasion noting giant steps. One such development here at the Fox was the introduction of original material. The 'new', the 'original' can be fraught with difficulties, in short, the composition doesn't always make the grade. It is pleasing to report that MacKellar's as yet untitled Latin piece worked just fine.  

Peter Bernstein is a current favourite of Tulip's and we heard Bones with the band leader knocking out a tremendous solo. Visions is the working title of a Tulip composition, whatever it finally ends up being called, it sounded good with piano player Brown most impressive.    
   
It seems that the student generation of musicians like Robert Glasper and it was the American's Rise and Shine - Tulip described it as 'hard and a bit mad' - that closed the set. Difficult? The Francis Tulip Quartet, with a superb MacKellar solo, made it look easy! 

Another Deuchar's, second set: Inner Urge (Joe Henderson), Ma Belle Helene (Kenny Wheeler) with sensitive guitar playing, Wayne Shorter's Deluge featured a short solo from the five-string bass playing of Dunlop and again on Someday My Prince Will Come and to close, Sco's Keep Me in Mind. The Fox Inn crowd wanted another one so drummer Matt MacKellar suggested they play another of his compositions, this one with a title - Transience. Excellent musicianship all round with the composer absolutely killing! The FT4 can be heard again on Saturday at Zeffirelli's in Ambleside and again a week tomorrow (Friday 27) at the Lit and Phil, Newcastle, one o'clock start. Arrive early, it's sure to be busy. 
Russell
at

No comments :

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments ( Atom )

Blog Archive