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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

17957 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 278 of them this year alone and, so far, 34 this month (April 14).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Tue 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. Coquetdale Jazz.

Wed 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 23: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 23: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED!

Thu 24: Mary Coughlan @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £33.80. Blues, jazz etc.
Thu 24: Darlington Big Band @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

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: 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: ???

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

Saturday, October 06, 2018

Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music @ The Lit and Phil: Stan Sulzmann and Nikki Iles – Oct. 5

Stan Sulzmann (tenor); Nikki Iles (piano)
(Review by Ann Alex/Photo courtesy of Ken Drew).
By 12.45 the Lit and Phil concert room was almost full. I took a side seat (I like to be near the action), but this meant that I was behind our pianist, not ideal for hearing the names of the tunes, so excuse me for any titles I’ve omitted. Wes Stephenson introduced the proceedings, sporting a shaggy beard, which goes well with the concept of improvised music.

I really am at quite a loss to describe the music as it was so, so good, as proved by the hearty applause. I wish I knew more about jazz technically, in order to do full justice to the playing. But Who Can I Turn To? which was the first tune. Flowing piano, and a slower, contrasting sax, alternating solos. This was very danceable music and I’d have been on my feet if I’d been listening at home. The next piece was from Porgy and Bess, beginning with long, slow sax notes, and now I wanted to sing.
A sax-led boppy number followed. A strong lively tune which never far below the surface during the improvisation, an effect which I love, and the piano neatly varying the timing. Apparently, Norma Winstone has written lyrics to this one.

Film music: The Night We Called It A Day, slow and serene, followed by a Kenny Wheeler composition. Nikki suggested a tea break as she’d supposed that the gig was to last until 3pm, but the scheduled ending was 2pm, so our players continued, probably thirstily, but it didn’t affect the high standard of music. A wonderfully sensitive You Don’t Know What Love is (from Billie Holiday’s album Lady in Satin), then the last tune, How Deep Is the Ocean?
 Ros Rigby did the final announcements, telling us that the Middlesbrough Jazz Weekend (Oct 19-21) will feature Nikki Iles’ brand new composition for the National Youth Jazz Orchestra.

I must add that we were given a very informative leaflet with lots of information about the musicians. Stan Sulzmann, a veteran of the jazz scene, has played with many of the ‘greats’ and Nikki Iles, an award-winning musician, composer and teacher also has an impressive résumé.
Photos.
Ann Alex

2 comments :

Hugh said...

This was a great gig with a full hall. The third item was Ladies in Mercedes (the place, not the car apparently!), by Steve Swallow.

What struck me about the gig (in the light of Lance's previous piece on clapping) was the applause. The Literary and Philosophical audience did not applaud after each solo, but reserved their (enthusiastic and full) applause until the last embers of each carefully crafted ending had died down. This, in my view, added to the great atmosphere in this chamber setting.

Nikki Iles also announced a forthcoming duo album with Stan Sulzmann: Lush Life, available shortly.

Hugh said...

Nice photo. Glad that's not the back of my head in the foreground!

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