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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, July 24, 2019

Jam Session @ the Black Swan - July 23

(Review/PHOTOS by Lance)

School was out, the students dispersed across the land. Outside they were frying eggs on the pavement - it was sizzling - so it seemed likely that the Black Swan would be a dead duck last night. Quite the opposite in fact as a goodly throng of both players and listeners turned out for another fine jam session.

The house trio set the ball rolling with Four, On Green Dolphin Street and Tenderly setting it up for the first of the blowers, Neville Hartley and Tangerine followed by Out of Nowhere. Not quite from out of nowhere came Faye Thompson and It Could Happen to You. Faye, blowing tenor, stayed on board   for Jen Errington who demanded All or Nothing at All - the audience chose the former option - so, with John Settle on drums, continued with Meditation. Settle, a first time visitor, is from Wakefield. He, like Jen, impressed.

ML MD SSBB which, translated, means Michael Lamb Musical Director Strictly Smokin' Big Band, Giles Strong and Owen Jones had a blast on I Love You and Beautiful Love. Debra stepped up to the plate for It Don't Mean a Thing which did have that swing. Debs scatted and exchanged fours whilst Michael Lamb took what may have been the chorus of the night!

The singers kept-a-comin' - some all the way from Hartlepool which, as Ronnie Scott may have quipped, is a good place to come from. The first  Hartlepudlian was Jan who delivered Angel Eyes with the sensitivity the Matt Dennis song deserves then, with John Rowland, one of the many wearing shorts this balmy evening, giving her some solid tenor sax support, dazzled on Night and Day.

Astronaut Ray Burns brought us down to Earth with Fly me to the Moon singing, scatting and blowing harmonica - Neil Armstrong lives!

More space travel as Niffi soared off into an Orange Colored Sky. Another SSBB member out on parole was 'bonist Parnaby who helped Niffi to Let the Good Times Roll. Alec J was on guitar but either hadn't plugged in or turned up the volume sufficiently.

Ben Lawrence played knock out piano on Someday My Prince Will Come and the Strictly Smokin' Duo blew Doxy apart.

Bob Caswell - also from Hartlepool - occupied the final allotted guest spot and sang Misty with some harp help from Burnsy then, after consultation with Stu, a fine Witchcraft which lead us up towards the bewitching hour where Straight No Chaser was the clarion call that rallied the troops from the trenches for the final onslaught. Two tenors, two trombones, trumpet and rhythm with a cameo from Niffi. When I arrived it was sizzling outside and it was sizzling inside as I left but, then again, it always is.

The good news is that, according to their website, the Black Swan jams, unlike in previous years at 'the old place', will continue throughout the summer.
Lance.
Paul Grainger (bass); Stu Collingwood (piano); Matt MacKellar (drums) + Faye Thompson, John Rowland (tenor saxes); Neville Hartley, Kieran Parnaby (trombones); Michael Lamb (trumpet); Owen Jones (bass); Giles Strong, Alec J. Gamble (guitars); John Settle (drums); Jen Errington, Jan Spencelayh, Debra Milne, Niffi Osiyemi, Bob Caswell (vocals); Ray Burns (vocals/harmonica).

1 comment :

Patti said...

What a storming session this must have been - they're often full of surprises - but maybe this one more than most, in terms of the musician sitters in! And I had to miss it - oh well, the next one? I hope so - new knee permitting! But how wonderful to have this in the Toon - and to continue on a regular basis. It's a real treat for us jazz lovers who are listeners, and for the musicians, who often travel a considerable distance for this opportunity.

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