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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, April 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

17904 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 225 of them this year alone and, so far, 72 this month (March 24).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Sat 29: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 29: Doris Day Story @ Phoenix Theatre, Blyth. 7:30pm.
Sat 29: Squabble! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 30: Jan Spencelayh & Dave Archbold @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 30: Jamil Sheriff Trio w. Nadim Teimoori @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 30: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 30: Jamil Sheriff Trio w. Nadim Teimoori @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 31: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

APRIL 2025

Tue 01: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Mark Robertson.
Tue 01: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, North St., Ferryhill DL17 8HX. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 02: Lauren Bush: The Jazz Singer’s Toolkit @ The Pele, Corbridge. 1:00-4:00pm. Vocalist Lauren Bush with pianist Jamil Sheriff presents a jazz singing workshop. £40.00. (inc. evening concert, see below). Registration required for workshop: www.laurenbushjazz.com. All ability levels welcome.
Wed 02: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 02: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 2:30-4:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Wed 02: Lauren Bush & Jamil Sheriff @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00-9:00pm. £10.00. Concert performance. Tickets: www.laurenbushjazz.com.
Wed 02: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 02: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. POSSIBLE CANCELLATION. See website for updates: www.theglobenewcastle.bar.

Thu 03: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Women in Jazz.
Thu 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 03: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. A Tees Hot Club promotion. First Thursday in the month.

Fri 04: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 04: Ruth Lambert Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Fri 04: Tom McGuire & the Brassholes @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00.
Fri 04: Nicolas Meier’s Infinity Group + Spirit of Jeff Beck @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm.

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

Wednesday, June 12, 2019

Jam Session @ The Black Swan - June 11

(Review by Lance).

Last week at the Dun Cow Jam, singers and drummers were the dominant force. This week, at the Black Swan, the drummers were still queuing up but, with one notable exception, the singers were absent and it was the horns who took centre stage.

The vocal exception was the tornado that is Julija. Dynamic! Dramatic! Theatrical! JJ doesn't just sing the song she lives it! You'd be so Nice to Come Home to and Summertime. This latter piece bore a vague resemblance to the George Gershwin tune of the same name. If Gershwin had been a soul/funk/Motown man it may have come out like this - the room erupted. Showtime and Gould added to the mayhem.


The evening had begun quite tastefully with Glendinning and co setting the scene with All Blues, It Could Happen to You and How Insensitive.

Ray Johnson played flugel on Moments Notice and I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face - nice mellow sound.

Harry Keeble, with Abbie on drums, blew tenor on Softly as in a Morning Sunrise and Chick Corea's Humpty Dumpty. Some adventurous playing but neither of them fell off the wall.

That other prodigious young drummer, Matt, along with John Pope on bass, put the boot in behind tenor number two, Nick Gould all the way from Edinburgh. Solar (or was it Dolphin Dance?) bounced along merrily. Nick's sound is not unlike that of a certain Greek saxman who was 'up north' last weekend. On Green Dolphin St always reminds me of an old tv ad Fry's Turkish Delight and this was indeed delightful.

The ubiquitous John Rowland - have tenor will travel (by bike) - aided by Mo on drums gave us some Tenor Madness and that jam session staple Stella by Starlight.

Still the saxes appear. This time it's Jordan Alfonso blowing alto like Art Pepper on Besame Mucho. Matt back on the kit and Paul once more on bass. Another change, Steve retires and Marcus Tham takes control of the lonely keyboard and Grainger once more gives way to The Pope. On the Sunnyside of the Street had all four blowing up a storm which set the scene for JJ to explode as described earlier.

The evening was drawing to a close, but not yet - not with Dean Stockdale waiting in the wings.

The surviving horns took to the stage. With Dean on piano it was reminiscent of Oscar Peterson at a JATP concert. Straight No Chaser had rousing solos all round before going into Salt Peanuts for the closing riff.

As I left another bop classic wafted through the rafters but Metro called...
Another Wham! Bang! Thank You Jam!
Lance
Steve Glendinning (guitar); Paul Grainger (bass); Tim Johnston (drums) + Ray Johnson (trumpet); David 'Showtime' Gray (trombone), Jordan Alfonso (alto sax); Harry Keeble, John Rowland, Nick Gould (tenor sax); Marcus Tham, Dean Stockdale (keys); John Pope (bass); Abbie Finn, Matt MacKellar, Hazem Mohammed (drums); Julija Jacenaite (vocals).

1 comment :

Nick Gould (on F/b) said...

Great to see you Lance! An excellent session. Loved your line about not falling off the wall!

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