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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, 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

17923 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 244 of them this year alone and, so far, 91 this month (March 31).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Wed 02: Lauren Bush: The Jazz Singer’s Toolkit @ The Pele, Corbridge. 1:00-4:00pm. Vocalist Lauren Bush with pianist Jamil Sheriff presents a jazz singing workshop. £40.00. (inc. evening concert, see below). Registration required for workshop: www.laurenbushjazz.com. All ability levels welcome.
Wed 02: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 02: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 2:30-4:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Wed 02: Lauren Bush & Jamil Sheriff @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00-9:00pm. £10.00. Concert performance. Tickets: www.laurenbushjazz.com.
Wed 02: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 02: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE! See website for updates: www.theglobenewcastle.bar.

Thu 03: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Women in Jazz.
Thu 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 03: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. A Tees Hot Club promotion. First Thursday in the month.

Fri 04: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 04: Ruth Lambert Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Fri 04: Tom McGuire & the Brassholes @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00.
Fri 04: Nicolas Meier’s Infinity Group + Spirit of Jeff Beck @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm.

Sat 05: Tenement Jazz Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 05: Sleep Suppressor @ Head of Steam, Newcastle. 5:30-6:00pm.
Sat 05: King Bees @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Raymond MacDonald & Jer Reid @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 6:00-9:30pm. £7.72., £1.00. (minimum donation). MacDonald & Reid + Objections + Yotuns.
Sat 05: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Kamasi Washington @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £33.00.
Sat 05: Vermont Big Band @ The Seahorse, Whitley Bay. 7:30pm. Tickets: £10.00 (from the venue).
Sat 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 06: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 06: Learning & Participation Showcase @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm (1:00pm doors). Free. Featuring participants from Play More Jazz! Play More Folk! Blue Jam Singers & more.
Sun 06: Joe Steels Group @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Ferg Kilsby, Joe Steels, Ben Lawrence, Paul Susans, John Hirst.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Hooch, Quayside, Newcastle. 6:00pm.
Sun 06: Leeway @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 07: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 08: ???

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

Tuesday, July 24, 2018

Jazz Social @ Charts, Newcastle - July 22

Stuart Collingwood (piano); Neil Harland (double bass); Matt MacKellar (drums)
(Review by Russell)
After a delay, it's up and running. The scheduled opening of Charts on the Quayside was put back a week or two and when it finally opened its doors the first of a new weekly (Sunday) jam session - Jazz Social - took place last week. Yesterday, BSH managed to get along to the second installment and it has to be said the former Flynn's public house has been transformed into a comfortable, if not swanky, cafe/bar boasting panoramic views across the Tyne to Sage Gateshead. 
Newcastle now hosts no fewer than two weekly sessions - Charts on Newcastle Quayside and Dave Weisser's long-running 'workshop' at the Globe - plus the Jazz Café's twice-monthly hothouse evenings, the Jazz Co-op's Sunday afternoon sessions twice a month and Jesmond's Dun Cow on Wednesdays twice monthly. Here at Charts, from four o'clock through to seven, the house trio played three sets. This week pianist Stu Collingwood was joined by bassist Neil Harland and drummer Matt MacKellar. A new jam session can take time to bed in, however, this one was about to go off with a bang! 

The sitters-in were absent - it'll take time - but this didn't deter Stu, Neil and Matt from having a good time playing a selection of good tunes. I Thought About You (Matt soloing), Take Five (Matt's hand drumming), St Thomas (Neil playing arco bass throughout), a knock out drum solo on Four (Stu happy to let young Matt show what he is capable of), here's your invitation... get along next week (July 29) to show what you can do.      

During one of two intervals a sudden, loud bang - make that a loud BANG! - made some spill their drinks and one or two enjoying a late afternoon slumber to sit bolt upright! Yes, a fuse blew, then blew again as staff scurried around looking in cupboards, checking fuse boxes. As Stu returned to his keyboard...BANG!...lights out! Would there be an unexpected early finish to this week's Jazz Social? Thankfully full power would soon be restored and the trio picked up where they left off. Agua de BeberAin't No Sunshine with Stu conjuring a 70s soul sound from his Roland 300 and, as your scribe was about to depart (a fourth gig of the day beckoned), perhaps the tune of the afternoon - I Got Rhythm - positively flew with Matt's scintillating brushwork setting it up. Jazz Social, Charts, four o'clock Sundays, sit-in or simply sit back and listen and be prepared, things could well go with a bang!
Russell.               

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