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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.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free. CANCELLED PERMANENTLY!
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: King Bees @ The Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Superb blues band.
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.

Tue 25: Fred Wesley & the New JB’s @ The Cluny. 7:30pm (doors). £27.50. POSTPONED! New date Wednesday 26 November.

Thu 27: Hannabiell & Midnight Blue @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 27: Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Superb blues duo.

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 08, 2018

Zakir Hussain, Dave Holland & Chris Potter @ Edinburgh Assembly Hall - July 22

(Review by Steve T).
One of my favourite musicians in the world, one of a diminishing number of jazz musicians who can unequivocally claim the status of living legend, and one of the hottest sax players on the planet.
Tabla, bass and sax: a dream set up for me, and I've just missed them at least three times in the past couple of years.
The first time I saw Zakir Hussain, he and John McLaughlin put Shakti back together, to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the partition of India and Pakistan. He's one of the few musicians who can hold his own and, on that showing, trump the guitar colossus. Two decades on, his technique is undiminished, but he's gained in stature and charisma.
This was the third time I'd seen Chris Potter: with Pat Metheny’s Unity Band/Group and his own quartet, so I was well aware that he was perfectly capable of standing with giants.
I'd never seen Dave Holland, though I've heard countless albums he's played on, including a number of major classics. He's the finest exponent I've ever heard to hold down the traditional bass function while simultaneously stepping way beyond that role.

A few seriously restricted viewing seats short of a sell-out, the anticipation was palpable and nobody left disappointed.
They shared the announcements: pieces from each of them, some written for each other, one by Hussain for McLaughlin, Hussain and Holland, the latter two both referred to as maestro during the set.
But titles of individual stretches of music and who wrote them wasn't the point; this was three master musicians, hanging together brilliantly and displaying dazzling levels of inventiveness and virtuosity.
I don't think anybody could have been disappointed when the lights came on, but the three returned to the stage for what I'm convinced was a genuinely unscheduled and unplanned encore; the only time I can remember a band returning and playing another after the lights had come on.
Gig of the year, any year. 
Steve T.

2 comments :

Hugh said...

Great review, Steve. Sounds like a gig not to be missed! The only one of the musicians I've had the privilege to see live is Dave Holland. Your description is spot-on. Cool (but with a small "c") and understated, but with great presence. I remember his bass as not being quite the traditional instrument, but having a slightly "cut-down" appearance.

Russell said...

I concur with Hugh's comments. One of Steve T's better reviews...that's a compliment, Steve!

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