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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

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: Red Kites Jazz @ Parish Hall, St Barnabas’ Church, Rowlands Gill. 7:30pm. £10.00. BYOB (tea & coffee available), raffle. Proceeds to St Barnabas’ Church. Performance feat. Shayo (vocals).
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

Thursday, June 06, 2019

Jamming in Jesmond @ the Dun Cow - June 5

(Review by Lance).

This was one of those fun nights - how could it not be with the irrepressible James Harrison at the keyboard? A musical joke never far from his fingertips, an appropriate quote an integral part of every number, and even if he does go over the top at times, so what? It's a jam session not Evensong at Westminster Abbey.


Stomping at the Savoy saw the Dun Cow metaphorically doing just that. A Latin number had some hand-drumming from Tom Chapman before Kay Usher fiddled while Harrison burned. Take the A Train and Softly as in a Morning Sunrise with banjo accompaniment from Ben Helm were the test pieces and all passed with honours.

Helm moved on to guitar and Jan Spencelayh sang. The lady from Hartlepool is fast becoming noticed not least after her version of You Turned the Tables on Me - a request - and I Put a Spell on You.

Matt came off the bench and settled in behind the kit, Ben reverted to banjo, Jennifer Davies sat next to a sign advertising a Pool Competition and kept Nina Simone in the frame with My Baby Just Cares For me. One of these days, someone will update the lyrics to this great song - suggestions for alternatives to Lana Turner, Liz Taylor and Liberace please. A rousing Route 66 had solos from Matt and Ben, this time on guitar, and Jennifer got all the place names in the right order.
It was certainly a singers night, next up was Mel Grundy with You'd be so Nice to Come Home to and Beautiful Love. Nice chord solo from Ben on the former.

Kay Usher returned for Exactly Like You and, with Marcus Tham on piano, All of Me.

Jan sang This Can't Be Love, and What a Difference a Day Made. Archie was now on drums,

Another star was born when Eleni Georgiou sang Ain't Misbehavin', One Note Samba and How High the Moon? John Rowland joined the party and Eleni reprised Ella's take on 'Moon'.

Jennifer bounced back for a fast I'm Beginning to See the Light and the show closed with In a Mellow Tone.

Audience wise, this was possibly the best Dun Cow jam yet. Well done to Paul Grainger for putting it all together.
Lance.

James Harrison (keys); Paul Grainger (bass); Tom Chapman (drums) + Kay Usher (violin); John Rowland (tenor sax); Marcus Tham (piano); Matt MacKellar, Archie Williamson (drums); Ben Helm (guitar/banjo); Jan Spencelayh, Jennifer Davies, Mel Grundy, Eleni Georgiou (vocals).

1 comment :

Jan S said...

It was a great night! Really fun and buzzing! Many thanks to the incredibly talented core team of musicians and great to see some terrific young musicians and singers coming along and contributing!

It's funny you should mention updating the lyrics to My Baby Just Cares, Lance ... for a while now - second time round I've been singing 'Johansson is not his style and even Julia Roberts' smile ...' Both scan nicely although I've been racking my brain to come up with a better one than using only a surname (as in Scarlet's). Anyone got any better suggestions?

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