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Bebop Spoken There

Kurt Elling: ''There's something to learn from every musician you play with''. (DownBeat, December 2024).

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

17641 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 915 of them this year alone and, so far, 60 this month (Dec. 26).

From This Moment On ...

December

Sat 28: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 11:30am. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 28: Fri 20: Castillo Nuevo @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 28: Jude Murphy, Rich Herdman & Giles Strong @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 28: Ray Stubbs R & B All-Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Stepney Bank, Newcastle. 9:00pm. Free.

Sun 29: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 29: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 30: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Wheatsheaf, Benton Sq., Whitley Road, Palmersville NE12 9SU. Tel: 0191 266 8137. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 30: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.

Tue 31: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 12 noon-2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Tue 31: Lapwing Trio @ Wallington (National Trust), Cambo, Morpeth NE61 4AR. 12 noon & 2:00pm. Admission to site £19.00.
Tue 31: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Tue 31: Archie Brown & Friends @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00-8:00pm. Free.

January 2025

Wed 01: ???

Thu 02: ???

Fri 03: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 03: John Gregory @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar.

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, July 05, 2019

Alan Glen Trio @ The Globe - July 4

Alan Glen (piano); Paul Grainger (bass); Paul Wight (drums).
(Review by Lance)

Exclusively For My Friends was the name given to a series of albums by Oscar Peterson recorded in front of an invited audience back in the 1980s. The albums were universally acclaimed as featuring Peterson at his very best. Last night, at the Jazz Coop HQ, nestled in the shadow of the Arena, pianist Alan Glen was at his very best playing a gig that could also be described as Exclusively For My Friends except the Tyneside piano legend has, or should have, considerably more friends than turned out at the Globe - their loss.

What they missed was an evening of sheer class by a master of his craft. Shades of Bud Powell, Hampton Hawes, Tatum and Peterson himself flowed from the maestro's fingers and not an iPad in sight - there was magic in the air.

Backed up by Paul Grainger on bass and Paul/Sid Wight/White on drums, from the opening Four to the Bye Bye Blackbird encore we sat back luxuriating in the music we were being enveloped in. 

Stella By Starlight, a 'devil take the hindmost' version of I'll Remember April, Ellington's Prelude to a Kiss with a florid, explorative introduction that seemed to be saying "I love you madly", Milestones - another belter - a 12 bar, Easy Go, that had an intoxicating groove to it and Autumn Leaves to round off the first set.

All Blues, Like Someone in Love, What is This Thing Called Love? You Don't Know What Love is (and those who weren't present don't know what good piano playing is!). The most swinging version ever of that hoary old standard My Melancholy Baby and Cherokee with Wight/White à la batterie to bring the evening almost to a close. If I've got to die let it be now!

So where was everybody? The Metros/buses were running, the weather was fine, no alternative gigs in the vicinity, no sporting distractions on tv or what?

I left with mixed emotions - happy with what I'd heard and sad that there weren't more people to share my joy with...
Lance

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