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Bebop Spoken There

Steve Coleman: ''If you don't keep learning, your mind slows down. Use it or lose it''. (DownBeat, January 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

17733 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 53 of them this year alone and, so far, 53 this month (Jan. 20).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Wed 22: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 22: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 22: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 22: Pasadena Roof Orchestra @ Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm.

Thu 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free. Fortnightly.
Thu 23: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Obituaries 2024.
Thu 23: Jason Isaacs @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:30-6:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Thu 23: Pedal Point Trio @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 24: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Creakin’ Bones & the Sunday Dinners @ Lindisfarne Social Club, Wallsend. 9:00pm. Admission: TBC. Jazz, blues , jump jive, rock ‘n’ roll.

Sat 25: Boys of Brass @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:30-5:30pm. Free.
Sat 25: New '58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson's Wharf, Hartlepool. 6:30pm (doors). Free. A Burns' Night event. Jazz, swing, funk, soul, blues etc.
Sat 25: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 25: Red Kites Jazz @ Parish Hall, St Barnabas’ Church, Rowlands Gill. 7:30pm. £10.00. BYOB (tea & coffee available), raffle. Proceeds to St Barnabas’ Church. Performance feat. Shayo (vocals).
Sat 25: Jack & Jay’s Songbook @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Graham Hardy Eclectic Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 26: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 26: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:30pm. Free.
Sun 26: Gratkowski, Tramontana, Beresford, Affifi @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.
Sun 26: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 27: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 28: ???

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Thu 30: Matters Unknown (aka Jonathan Enser, Nubiyan Twist) + support TBA @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £12.22 (gig & food); £9:04 (gig only).
Thu 30: Soznak @ The Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 30: Struggle Buggy @ Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Rhythm & blues.

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, November 04, 2018

Mike Durham's Classic Jazz Party 2018 @ Village Hotel, Cobalt Business Park, Newcastle (ish) - November 4.

(Review by Lance)
Mike Durham's Classic Jazz Party rose, Phoenix-like from the ashes of the Whitley Bay Jazz Festival which, due to funding issues, finished some 20 years after its 1990 beginning. However, trumpet playing leader of the West Jesmond Rhythm Kings, Mike Durham didn't allow this to deter him. Inspired by the various 'jazz parties' in America such as the legendary bash held in Denver Colorado, under Mike's guidance, the Classic Jazz Party came about. Over the years it has seen many famous names, not least Daryl Sherman and Cecile McLorin Salvant (pictured here w. Jean Francois Bonnel) who performed a memorable duo set a few years back.


Sadly, Mike passed on but his wife, Patti, made sure that he wasn't forgotten by ensuring that this, surely the best celebration of classic jazz, and with the help of Keith Nicholls and a dedicated team of helpers, continued in his name.

This year I was only able to grab a few sessions but what sessions they were!
Joan Viskant's Let's Misbehave celebrated those twenties flapper girls such as Ruth Etting and Elsie Carlisle. Dressed appropriately, Joan won everyone's hearts with her renditions that, amazingly didn't sound at all dated. For 30 glorious minutes, she'd taken us back in time and, I guess so many of us wished we could stay. Actually, this wasn't a problem as the whole weekend is a glorious cocoon of that time between the wars when all that many folks had was music from the radio. No bread or employment but great music.

Joan was backed up by a choice selection of the CJP regulars including Emma Fisk whose playing of Florian Zabach' s Hot Canary was the perfect intro to My Canary's Got Circles Under His Eyes. I seem to remember George Melly used to milk this one.

Jeff Barnhart is the life and soul of any party - as was Fats Waller. Combine the two and you have the perfect recipe to get the joint jumpin'. Rather than play safe with the old favourites he introduced the audience to some little-known Waller compositions - every one a gem!

Of course, any jazz festival/party worth its salt has a big band and this one didn't fall short! Goldkette, Goodman, Ellington, Coon-Saunders, Chick Webb and, the one I caught - Fletcher Henderson.

Was this a success? You betcha! The advance inquiries for next year were hitting the tray so fast they ran out of forms!

But, this isn't just about the music - although it wouldn't happen without it - it's a reunion of friends drawn together by their mutual love of the jazz from another era. This also poses the question - is it a past era or the dawn of a new era? If only...
Lance.
PS: As I was leaving, I managed this shot of some of the guys. I can name two of them but I'd like to namecheck the other two.

1 comment :

Russell said...

Photo - four names (left to right)...David Boeddinghaus (piano), Josh Duffee (drums), Matthias Seuffert (reeds), Andy Schumm (cornet).

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