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Bebop Spoken There

George Porter Jr.: ''To me, syncopation is like jazz. It wasn't meant for the masses. It was meant just for a hip few". (DownBeat, May 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

18043 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 364 of them this year alone and, so far, 42 this month (May 15).

From This Moment On ...

MAY 2025

Sun 18: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 12 noon-2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 18: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 18: Ruth Lambert & Giles Strong @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 18: Steve Summers Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 19: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 19: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 20: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, Bailey Rudd.
Tue 20: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Pleased to Meet You, Bridge St., Morpeth NE61 1ND. 8:00pm.

Wed 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 21: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public). b Wed 21: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 22: Nuevo Castillo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £5.00.
Thu 22: Anna Reay & Deon Krishnan @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:30-9:15pm. Free.
Thu 22: Pedal Point Trio @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 23: Dean Stockdale Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. ‘Celebrating Oscar’.
Fri 23: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 23: Anna Reay & Deon Krishnan @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: Joe Steels Group @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £10.00. + £1.55. bf. A Northumberland Jazz Festival fringe event.
Fri 23: Spilt Milk @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 23: Gaz Hughes Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm.
Fri 23: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 8:00pm. £19.00.; £17.00. ‘Time After Time’.

Sat 24: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:15pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 24: Tyne Valley Big Band @ Bywell Hall, Stocksfield. 1:30pm. Northumberland County Show.
Sat 24: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 24: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ The Peacock, Sunderland. 6:00pm.
Sat 24: Dean Stockdale Quartet + Mingus Sings @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:00pm. Admission: see website: www.queenshall.co.uk. Stockdale (piano); Tim Williams (guitar); Gavin Barras (double bass); Gaz Hughes (drums) + Mingus Sings: Sara Oschlag (vocals); Alan Barnes (reeds); Tim Lapthorn (piano); Arnie Somogyi (double bass); Clark Tracey (drums). A Northumberland Jazz Festival event.
Sat 24: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 24: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Sat 24: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £3.00. + bf.
Sat 24: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. 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

Friday, May 31, 2019

May Magic - Update of Gig/CD of the Year contenders.

CDs of the Month.
June
Tubby Hayes Quartet - Grits, Beans and Greens.
Scott Hamilton Quartet - Danish Ballads and More.
Eyal Vilner Big Band - Swing Out.
Judy Wexler - Crowded Heart.
May
Kim Cypher - Love Kim x
Alex Hitchcock - All Good Things
Jordon Dixon - On
Pete McGuinness Orchestra -Along For the ride.
Doug MacDonald - California Ride.
April
Anthony Strong - Me and my Radio.
Lauren White - Life in the Modern World.
Scott Robinson - Tenermore.
Q4 - Uphill Struggle.
March
Ben Crosland Quintet - the Ray Davies Songbook Volume II.
Kate Williams Four Plus Three Meets Georgia Mancio - Finding Home.
February.
Deborah Shulman - The Shakespeare Project.
Steve Fishwick & Alex Garnett - Marshian Timeslip (LP).
John Turville - Head First.
January.
Ernie Watts Quartet  - Home Light.
Chris Ingham - Stan.
Tommaso Starace - Harmony Less Quartet.
Beverley Church Hogan - Can't Get Out of This Mood.
-----
Gigs of the Month.
June
Time & Place - Paul Edis Quartet w. Jo Harrop & Vasilis Xenopoulos @ Sage Gateshead.
Strictly Smokin'Big Band @ Hoochie Coochie.
Emma Fisk's Hot Club du Nord @ Sage Gateshead.
Vasilis Xenopoulos w. Paul Edis Trio @ Ushaw College.
May
Kamasi Washington @ Sage Gateshead (21st)
Simon Spillett w. Paul Edis Trio @ Ushaw College (4th)
April
SSBB - A Great Day in Harlem @ Gosforth Civic Theatre (20th.
JR Trio @ Globe Jazz Bar (19th)
Alan Glen @ Globe Jazz Bar (4th)
March
Tenement Jazz Band @ Prohibition Bar (18th)
Jam Session @ the Black Swan (19th).
Jason Isaacs @ Hoochie Coochie (24th).
February.
JazzMain @ The Globe (3rd).
Jam Session @ The Black Swan (5th)
Jam Session @ The Black Swan (19th).
Mark Nightingale w. SSBB @ Sage Gateshead.
January.
House of the Black Gardenia @ Prohibition Bar (19th).
Jam Session @ The Black Swan (22nd).
Jam Session @ The Black Swan (8th).

Lance.

2 comments :

Russell said...

March CD of the month: Tenement Jazz Band - New Orleans Wiggle

March gig of the month: Tenement Jazz Band (Prohibition Bar), Great North Big Band Jazz Festival, Bix Fest.

Patti said...

Ha - well now, great jazz minds think alike - I'm just playing New Orleans Wiggle, and it's certainly at the top of my top March CD's ....... plus, for gigs - Tenement Jazz Band at the Prohibition Bar in March, which was where I bought their CD, and from the Racine Bix Fest, Chicago's Fat Babies and the Shake 'em up Mamas from New Orleans. Racine is about 90 miles north of the Windy City, Chicago, and the whole area is full of jazz history.

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