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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

Tue 21: ???

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: 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

Tuesday, May 14, 2019

Keswick Jazz & Blues Festival: Tommy Harkenrider Quartet - May 11

Tommy Harkenrider (guitar); Richard Exall (tenor sax); Sandy Suchodolski (double bass); Morgan Childs (drums)
(Review by Russell)

A couple (friends of BSH) from the Tyne-Tees Delta recommended catching Tommy Harkenrider's second concert performance at this year's Keswick Jazz and Blues Festival. The word was the jazz 'n' blues guitarist was the 'real deal'. On Thursday the man from Orange County, California had played a trio engagement with BSH favourite Bruce Rollo and Canadian drummer Morgan Childs. This Saturday evening performance would be in quartet format to include bootin' tenor sax. 
Slim, suited and booted, originally from Las Vegas, Tommy Harkenrider works out of Orange County and this UK appearance presented an opportunity to check him out. Working with the American on this Keswick date were Richard Exall on tenor sax , engaged, no doubt, to act as foil to the main man, Royal Academy graduate bassist Sandy Suchodolski (Alan Barnes, Scott Hamilton, Gareth Lockrane, BBC Big Band) and, all the way from Toronto,  drummer Morgan Childs.

Harkenrider's amiable stage patter was along the lines: Has anyone heard of...Tiny Grimes?...Pee Wee Crayton?...T-Bone Walker? and so on. Yes, this was our American visitor sussing out his audience. Some of those present knew the names, evidently quite a few didn't. And it appeared Harkenrider wasn't one for names, namely Richard Exall and Sandy Suchodolski! So, seemingly a scratch band put together for the occasion, Exall's job was to 'put the boot in' and he did just that. Little did Harkenrider know just how good the Brit was! Exall did everything required and more, Harkenrider was surely left thinking: Who is this guy?! 

Harkenrider cites George Barnes, Teddy Bunn and Les Paul as influences and he's worked the circuit with James Harman and Big Sandy. This Keswick gig revealed the American to be a Les Paul man by way of Bob Wills and all things Americana. To his left stood Sandy Suchodolski. BSH's regular north east of England stomping ground has its share of A-list bass players and, if you want an out-of-towner, the balding, bearded Suchodolski is your man. Think Andys Champion and Cleyndert or NHOP, Mr S is up there. 

Drummer Morgan Childs is active on the Toronto jazz scene with recordings out under his own name and here he was in Keswick playing a blues and boogie set. More Tiny Grimes (Frankie and Johnny Boogie), more Pee Wee then Harkenrider enquired: Has anyone heard of Freddie King? Yeah! replied some. The lights were getting low, it was almost time to go when our American guest chose to play something by his all-time hero - Texas Johnny Brown. Turning to his pick-up band Harkenrider said: A barn-burner, double shuffle. A collective nod of the head, they doggone burned it down!    
Russell

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