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Bebop Spoken There

Van Morrison: ''Basically, I'm coming from jazz. Not pop, not rock, not what's commercial. That's where I started, and that's still where I am. I feel the same as I did when I was listening to Louis Armstrong, Lead Belly, Jelly Roll Morton''. (The Northern Echo, 12 June 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

1803759 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 480 of them this year alone and, so far, 58 this month (June 18).

From This Moment On ...

JUNE 2025

Thu 19: Gareth John & the SOS Big Band @ The Forum Music Centre, Darlington. 7:00pm. £25.00. CANCELLED!

Fri 20: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 20: David Gray's Flextet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 20: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. £21.50. ‘Time After Time’.
Fri 20: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm.
Fri 20: King Bees @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. Superb Chicago blues band.

Sat 21: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 21: Red Kites Jazz @ Staithes Café, Dunston. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Sat 21: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 22: Phoenix 4 @ Wallington, Northumberland. 12 noon-1:00pm & 2:00-3:00pm. Tel: 01670 773606. National Trust admission prices apply. ‘Tunes in the Blooms’.
Sun 22: Lapwing Trio @ Wallington, Northumberland. 1:00-2:00pm. Tel: 01670 773606. National Trust admission prices apply. ‘Tunes in the Blooms’.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Jason Isaacs Trio @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 4:00pm. £18.00. + £1.08 bf.
Sun 22: JazzMain @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 23: MSK Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance.
Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club (1:00pm). Free.

Tues 24: ???

Wed 25: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 25: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 25: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 25: The Magpies of Swing @ The Roxy, Leadgate, Co. Durham. 7:30pm. A Ginger Jitterbugs swing dance event, all welcome.

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

Monday, December 31, 2018

Francis Tulip Quartet @ The Globe Jazz Bar - Dec. 30

Francis Tulip (guitar); Ben Lawrence (piano); Michael Dunlop (bass guitar); Matthew MacKellar (drums).
(Review by Lance/PHOTOS).

I blinked! The downstairs bar of the Jazz Coop HQ was packed wall to wall with bodies eagerly awaiting the opener from the FTQ. I was reminded of photos I'd seen of air raid shelters during WWII and, as the music began, I could have been forgiven for thinking the Luftwaffe had returned. Fortunately, the bombs dropping weren't from Berlin but from Berklee, Mass. Matt MacKellar was back in town!

The young man's technique becomes more and more prodigious with each visit home - by comparision, Art Blakey was a shrinking violet! An extended drum solo on the opening Solar was possibly too much too soon but, nevertheless, the stall was set out.
Or was it? There couldn't have been a greater contrast than with Stars Fell on Alabama. MacKellar on brushes and some juicy chords from Tulip, thoughtful keyboard reflections from Lawrence and a rare bass solo from Dunlop. Tastefully played and yet, somehow, it seemed out of place with this band.
Not so Kenny Dorham's Escapade. The leader let his fingers do the walking or rather the running as did keyboard ace Lawrence - another player whose star is on the rise.

Tulip's provisionally titled Floaty Tune turned out to be an ephemeral, multi-directional piece highlighted by a cymbal solo that was amazingly effective before gradually bringing in bass drum and snare drum leading to the all-out dash for the line.

Michael Dunlop composed Joel's Jingle as a tribute to Joel Brown, the band's previous keyboardist, now carrying out his good work in Senegal. A nice boppy head over a familiar sequence it brought the first half to a close. It had been an enjoyable set although the earth had yet to move.
This would soon change!

And change it did with Airegin. Now a whole different ballgame. Where. earlier, there had been the occasional loose end it was now as tight as tight could be without any loss of freedom. Lawrence could be heard and it was well worth hearing - a worthy replacement for Joel (Airegin being Nigeria spelled backward made me wonder if Joel would compose a tune called Lagenes?)

Mulgrew Miller's Farewell to Dogma saw Tulip in full flight - Birmingham Conservatoire must surely be proud of him.

Benny Golson's Stablemates produced what may have been the solo of the set by Ben Lawrence. It was also when my chair collapsed - the earth was still moving!

Litha (Chick Corea); Tulip's Mr GW and a piece by Matt - was it called Finale? brought the show (almost) to a close. The obligatory encore and Francis Tulip's tune - Visions saw the evening out with a long - and I mean long - solo from MacKellar.

If it wasn't my Gig of this Year - that honour went to the Mingus Big Band - it most certainly would have been in just about any other year.
Lance.
PHOTOS

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