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Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: '' A Love Supreme coincided with my search for meaning in life". (DownBeat, March 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

17873 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 194 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (March 14).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Laurence Harrison, Paul Grainger, Tim Johnston.
Tue 18: Phil Bancroft’s Beautiful Storm @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £13.20 & £11.00.. A JNE-Gem Arts co-promotion.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Nicknames.
Thu 20: Terri Green Experience @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £15.90.
Thu 20: Lindsay Hannon Trio @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Hannon’s ‘Tom Waits for No Man’ set.
Thu 20: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:30pm. Free.

Fri 21: Paul Skerritt @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 21: Giles Strong Quartet @ 1719, Hendon, Sunderland. 7:30pm. CANCELLED!
Fri 21: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Featuring special guest Martin Litton (piano).

Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30pm-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 22: Swamp Stomp String Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Sat 22: Rivkala @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sun 23: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 23: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Mississippi MacDonald @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. Blues.
Sun 23: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: The Great Deceivers @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Tom Atkinson & co play King Crimson (1969-1974). Atkinson (guitar); Josh Bentham (alto sax); Stu Dawson (bass); Jeff Armstrong (drums).

Mon 24: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 24: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. 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

Wednesday, August 22, 2018

Jam Session @ The Jazz Café - August 21

(Review by Lance).
The last of the summer jam at 'The Caff' - back again on Sept. 11. Last, but certainly not least, the greatest free show in town didn't let the side down and already folks are getting impatient waiting for the start of the new season. 
As ever, the trio set the pace and, with Paul Edis at the house upright it was quite a pace. I Hear a Rhapsody; a Tatumesque intro to Tea For Two and some locked hands chording on September in the Rain showed us why this Paul (there were three of them here tonight) is held in such high regard. With him all the way, the Grainger Paul and Walker, Rob, kept things buoyant in readiness for the jammers who were massing at the bar and primed for action.
First up was Abbie Finn and Neville Hartley. Abbie, fresh from her session at the Globe last Saturday slotted in well behind Neville who delighted the crowd with Tangerine and Pennies From Heaven. The Grainger Paul quipped that with a name like Hartley a jam session was home from home for him (or words to that effect!)
The frontline changed and it was the turn of Ray Johnson and George Sykes to offer Love For Sale and On the Sunny Side of the Street. Grainger reminded us of how, back in the day, love was on sale albeit not on the sunny side of Pink Lane. Ah, the memories...
Rob returned for You'd Be So Nice to Come Home to and then Niffi delivered an ultimatum - Love me or Leave me. It must have been the latter option that was taken up as she then moaned stridently. I Ain't Got Nothin' But the Blues.
All change and now it was time for the younger set to go East of the Sun. Ben Lawrence, John Pope, James Metcalf and Francis Tulip linked up with Rob Walker for what was a somewhat chaotic rendition and, despite the quality of the musicians, it was one of the more forgettable moments of the evening.
A degree of stability returned when Callum Mellis stepped up for a lyrical interpretation of Misty.
The arrival of David Gray meant the blue touchpaper was about to be lit and it duly was in the company of Sykes, the two Pauls and Abbie.
On Green Dolphin Street and Equinox were dealt with explosively before Sykes gave way to Paul number 3 - Gowland that is. Soprano and trombone, may not be your everyday frontline but they gelled on I'll Remember April and I Can't Get Started.
It doesn't get much better than this!
Photos.
Lance.
Paul Grainger (bass); Paul Edis (piano); Rob Walker (drums) + Neville Hartley (trombone); Abbie Finn (drums); George Sykes (tenor); Ray Johnson (trumpet); Niffi Osiyemi (vocal); Francis Tulip (guitar); Ben Lawrence (piano); John Pope (bass); James Metcalf/Callum Mellis (flugel); David Gray (trombone); Paul Gowland (soprano).

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