Total Pageviews

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

17904 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 225 of them this year alone and, so far, 72 this month (March 24).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Mon 24: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

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

Wed 26: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 26: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 26: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

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.

Fri 28: Giles Strong Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00 SOLD OUT!.
Fri 28: Spilt Milk @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £8.00.
Fri 28: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Old Cinema Laundrette, Durham. 7:45pm.
Fri 28: Sue Ferris Quintet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £10.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 28: Mostly Moonlight @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Fri 28: Juliana Day & Manon McCoy @ Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00.; £10.00. advance. JNE.

Sat 29: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 29: Doris Day Story @ Phoenix Theatre, Blyth. 7:30pm.
Sat 29: Squabble! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 30: Jan Spencelayh & Dave Archbold @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 30: Jamil Sheriff Trio w. Nadim Teimoori @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 30: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 30: Jamil Sheriff Trio w. Nadim Teimoori @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

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

Sunday, September 30, 2018

Harry Greene Quartet @ Hexham Abbey Festival of Music and Arts 2018. Late Night Jazz – Sept. 29.

Harry Greene (tenor); Matt Carter (keys); Seth Tackaberry (bass); Joel Barford (Drums).
(Review by Hugh)
After last year’s inaugural Late Night Jazz session in the Great Hall featuring Nikki Iles and Stan Sulzmann, the question was, how to follow that up this year?  At the recommendation of Nikki Iles, the Harry Greene Quartet was invited.  These four fresh-faced college lads (all trained on the Jazz Course at The Royal Academy of Music) were smartly suited and booted for the occasion.  Harry Greene brought together a new quartet for what was to be their first gig – with a specially curated programme to celebrate the music and musicians of the Blue Note label - focussing on the output of the 1950s and 60s.

Dexter Gordon’s Cheesecake got the evening off to a swinging start.  The format for most of the evening was set – Harry Greene took the first solo blowing his striking gold on black lacquer horn, followed by the first of many skillful and sensitive piano solos by Matt Carter, proceeding to bass and/or drum solos, with ensemble playing in between.  The up-tempo beat was continued in Hank Mobley’s Soul Station - Seth Tackaberry’s walking bass and Joel Barford’s drumming propelled the piece with purposeful strides.  John Coltrane’s arrangement of I’m Old Fashioned calmed the room with its balladic qualities – Greene’s beautiful saxophone tone was to the fore, with sensitive brushwork from Joel Barford.  The calm was short-lived – Herbie Hancock’s Driftin’ woke us up again with dextrous fingering by Greene on saxophone.  A second (composed later) Hancock number, Maiden Voyage followed, where Joel Barford was let loose to enjoy his drum kit.  This closed the first set after almost one hour’s music.  A scheduled interval ensued, during which replenishment of reviewer’s refreshment was obtained (fit for the occasion) - Allendale Brewery’s 674 – brewed to commemorate the year of the founding of Hexham Abbey.
 The second half commenced with Tammy’s Breeze by Gene Harris, then the familiar, Groove Merchant by Harry Richardson.  During the bass solo, in his eagerness to demonstrate the stratospheric (well for bass, anyway) notes obtainable by concentrating attention to the very bottom of the fingerboard, Seth Tackaberry (and his bass) almost fell onto the music stand in front!  The groove merchants came to a-rockin'(am I allowed to use that word in this context?) climax. 

A sobering five-minute warning was issued from the back of the room.  The final piece was Moment’s Notice (John Coltrane) played at breakneck speed, with blistering performances from all quartet members.  Time for one more?  The bandleader asked.  But it was not to be – the licensing curfew was absolute.  No more music – “you’ll just have to invite us again”, quipped Green.

This was a cracking gig, full of melody with bravura performances by all four members of the quartet.  The receptive audience helped make the gig a success.  These guys have started a journey on a long and productive road.  Who says jazz is the preserve of the older generation? – the enthusiasm and already excellent musicianship of this young quartet augur well for the future of the music.  They have picked up and are already running with the baton.

Hugh C.

No comments :

Blog Archive