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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

17755 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 76 of them this year alone and, so far, 1 this month (Feb.1).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Sat 08: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 08: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 08: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 08: Lewis Watson Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 08: Anth Purdy @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. ‘Swing Jazz Guitar’.
Sat 08: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A Newcastle University Jazz Orchestra event. All welcome.

Sun 09: Glenn Miller & Big Band Spectacular @ The Forum, Billingham. 3:00pm.
Sun 09: The New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 09: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Tom Remon & Mark Williams @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 09: Rod Oughton’s Tomorrow’s New Quartet with Ben van Helder @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Line-up inc. Deschanel Gordon.
Sun 09: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 10: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 11: Steve Summers Quintet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm.

Wed 12: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Jam session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 12: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 13: Student Performances @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 4:00pm. Free. Inc. Olly Styles (tenor sax).
Thu 13: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: Artist Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Hannabiell & Midnight Blue.
Thu 13: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

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

Saturday, May 11, 2019

Metered Magic: Andrea Vicari Trio @ The Lit & Phil – May 10


Andrea Vicari (piano); Andy Champion (bass); Russ Morgan (drums).  
(Review/photos by Jerry)

Andrea Vicari had worked with Andy Champion and Russ Morgan about 18 months ago on a musical project in the North-East so she sought them out when embarking on a “mini-tour” in the region starting here at that Geordie institution, the Lit & Phil. The reunion was a treat of a mini-gig (the usual one hour format) for the close-to-capacity room which ended with Andrea Vicari struggling to name-check our local heroes above the noise of enthusiastic and sustained applause!


The one-hour format often seems too short and here it necessitated some changes to the set-list: we never got to hear Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise and the last two numbers were “merged” (Vicari’s word) as the clock ticked remorselessly past 1.55. But what a merger it was – Johnny Green’s Body and Soul by way of an extended piano solo and then (my words) “it went all Monk-ish” in the biggest contrast imaginable and we were swinging along to Well, You Needn’t! This seemed to be done even faster than the original with Keystone Cops and a bit of Rhapsody in Blue thrown into the mix: it was immense fun bringing more smiling faces (pretty much everyone in the room!) than can be mustered at the average jazz gig. They don’t do average at the Lit & Phil! Earlier, in between numbers, the pianist had donned her glasses to check the audience reaction: if she remained in any doubt about their approval at the end, well she needn’t!

An original, Get Busy Living, had got the gig off to a driving start with a drummed intro which reminded me a little of the Paul Edis Sextet’s Administrate This. I got a close view of the drumming throughout the gig being able, unusually, to see both feet as well as the drummer’s hands. Someday My Prince Will Come featured a lot of brush-work including a fade to a whisper at the end while Russ Morgan drummed with his hands for much of their rousing version of Caravan. Elsewhere were sticks, mallets and some prestidigitation with a mobile-phone which enabled him to top up his parking seemingly in mid-tune! How’s that for dexterity? Close parking is essential when lugging double-bass or drum-kit to a gig and here it’s strictly one hour a go so musicians need good timing. Andy Champion’s low-tech solution was to leg it back to the car, seconds before kick-off. I hope that worked, too.


Jagged Stacks, another original was an evocative piece (inspired by rock-formations near Wick) with lots of variation of volume and a crashing ending. It put me in mind of the changing moods of the sea swirling around rocks. Don’t know if that was the intention, but my mind has a mind of its own! Punching Out was a world-premiere, apparently, and it, too, featured “big volume in the left hand” (my highly technical scribblings). Other, probably inaccurate, scribblings included “long, symphonic intro” and “big chords” on You Don’t Know What Love Is. Throughout, in a totally untechnical way, I really loved the piano playing. One spectator, on leaving, was heard to observe (he meant this as, and I repeat it as, a compliment): “That was great – she’s not afraid to attack the piano”. I’m sure Monk would have approved!
           
Sadly there was no time for an encore – more meters to feed!
Jerry

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