Total Pageviews

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

Monday, August 27, 2018

Alan Barnes w. SSBB @ Ushaw, Durham - August 26

It wouldn't be Ushaw without Punch (A.K.A Alan Barnes). The much-travelled sax/clarinet ace covers more miles than Lewis Hamilton, hopefully not quite as fast although, when wielding saxophones large and small, he's well outside the speed limit and should be booked (for next year's festival).
I've heard this genial performer on many occasions but I don't think I've known him to burn quite like he did on baritone last night. 
In keeping with the band's name, he was on fire yet still managed to relax and play some Johnny Hodges' style alto on his own composition Portrait of Belle from his Christmas Suite which he had performed at a previous Ushaw gig.
Of course, it wasn't all Barnes, Alan, we had Barnes, David, blowing a lusty trombone on Ecaroh (hold the title up to the mirror and you'll get a clue as to the composer). Guitarist Pawel also impressed.
Alice Grace looked good and sounded likewise on You Turned the Tables on me; Get Happy; Hear the Moment and It Was a Very Good Year, the latter number done somewhat faster than the norm - it worked although, it has to be said, I think she needed either more mic or less volume from the band.
Having a sax titan as guest soloist meant less time in the spotlight for the other reeds although this was rectified in the penultimate Okay With Jay from the Buddy Rich pad. Which prompts me to suggest, why not a Buddy Rich set from the band at some future date?
Getting back to Okay with Jay - Jay being Jay Craig - solos abounded with Forster making the early running followed by Summers, Gowland, Toms, Ferris and Barnes, A, culminating in what was touted as a 'blistering baritone battle between Alan and Sue. The guest pulled no punches and Sue wouldn't have wanted it any other way. Suffice to say she held her own.
Michael Lamb, as usual, took most of the trumpet solos in between darting back and forth to conduct and compere on those rare occasions when Alan Barnes was lost for words. In the absence of Pete Tanton, Marshall and Stacey were given their moments of glory.
Guy Swinton was featured on the finale/encore, Caravan. Deon Krishnan was solid on bass guitar throughout and dep pianist Mike Bowman, although predominantly kept under wraps, provided the support a soloist needs to prevent him/her straying.
As a matter of (limited) interest, I remembered Mike as a young sax player buying reeds from me when I worked in J.G. Windows. We're now both grey-haired although he has more of it than me!
Nice to see you again Mike.
More photos.
Lance.
PS: I'd also like to add to the plaudits already showered upon Paul Edis who organised the three-day event so efficiently. Bravo Paul!
PPS: Eleven World Premieres over the weekend and counting...
PPS: And a big thank you to Tony Eales for his Jazz Alley - a stunning display of vintage album covers, posters, magazines (some of which I've appropriated!) and general memorabilia.
Alan Barnes (alto/clarinet/baritone) w. Strictly Smokin' Big Band:
Michael Lamb (MD), Billy Bradshaw, Gordon Marshall, Dick Stacey (trumpets); Dan Chimside, Kieran Parnaby, David Barnes, Chris Gray (trombones); Jamie Toms, Paul Gowland, Steve Summers, Matt Forster, Sue Ferris (saxophones);  Pawel Jedrzejewski (guitar); Mike Bowman (piano); Deon Krishnan (bass guitar); Guy Swinton (drums); Alice Grace (vocals).

2 comments :

Alan Smith (on F/b) said...

What a Great Band! (and Alan Barnes is pretty good).

Hugh said...

I love the photo of Alan Barnes' extended baritone with two bells!

Blog Archive