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Bebop Spoken There

Sullivan Fortner: ''I always judge it by the bass player: If the bass player is happy, it's going to be a good night". (DownBeat, February 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

17805 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 126 of them this year alone and, so far, 51 this month (Feb.16).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

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: Mississippi MacDonald @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm. Blues.
Sat 22: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Old Cinema Laundrette, Durham. 7:45pm. £16.50. SOLD OUT!
Sat 22: Michael Woods @ 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: Mark Williams Trio @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 23: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 23: Mississippi MacDonald @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. Blues.
Sun 23: Mu Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 23: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

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

Tue 25: ?

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: Jamie McCredie @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Fri 28: Luis Verde 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: Knats @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £11.50. (inc bf.). Album launch gig. Support act TBC.
Fri 28: Black is the Color of My Voice @ The Gala, Durham. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman show inspired by the life of Nina Simone, performed by Florence Odumosu.
Fri 28: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival: Musicians Unlimited @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 8:00pm. £10.00. (Weekend ticket £20.00., available on the door). Day 1/3. Musicians Unlimited in concert.
Fri 28: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

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

Tuesday, November 06, 2018

Mike Durham's Classic Jazz Party 2018 @ Village Hotel, Newcastle - Nov 2 (afternoon)

Friday, day one proper of the annual festival, got underway with the now familiar Tribute to Mike. Keith Nichols, one of Mike Durham's key allies over many years, led the session with the help of Enrico Tomasso (the trumpeter would be announced as winner of the trumpet category in this year's British Jazz Awards the day after the festival ended), genial American 'bone man Jim Fryer,  festival favourite Matthias Seuffert, reeds, Spats Langham playing guitar and banjo, Frenchman Henry Lemaire playing string bass, and one of the many vituoso percussionists at this 2018 gathering, Nick Ward. 

Riverboat Shuffle rooted this tribute in New Orleans. Up a Lazy River then Spats singing and playing guitar on the Elsie Carlisle-inspired You Got Me Crying Again and the closing number, The Song Has Ended But the Melody Lingers On. 

Teschemacher and Bechet, two icons of the clarinet; first Chicago's Austin High School Gang with the focus on 'Tesch', then Bechet in Europe with Ellington, the latter featuring the singular talent that is Ewan Bleach. The 'Forgotten Saxophone Player' Jack Pettis finally took his posthumous turn in the spotlight courtesy of Michael McQuaid and local star, violinist Emma Fisk, led a Joe Venuti-Eddie Lang/Grappelli-Reinhardt set with 'her Boys' - Spats Langham and Henry Llemaire as the legendary guitarists, supported by Martin Litton, piano, and perhaps the weekend's busiest musician, Malcolm Sked, on string bass. Emma, placed third in the British Jazz Awards' Miscellaneous category, impressed with her to-be-expected flawless performance. 

Fats on Film - Stormy Weather looked at Fats Waller's rare celluloid appearances. Jeff Barnhart is a real entertainer and a band comprising the likes of Duke Heitger, Josh Duffee and Nicolle Rochelle couldn't go far wrong and it didn't. 

Drummer Duffee remained on the stand to close the afternoon session with Jean Goldkette - After Bix (1928-29). Hot jazz dispensed in hot, hot style by the erudite Duffee and his band which included fellow Americans Mike Davis and Andy Schumm, trumpets, and New Orleans pianist David Boeddinghaus. Out front on the floor, three familiar faces to north east audiences - the string players Emma Fisk, Dawn Allen and Kay Usher - did the region proud.      
Russell   
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