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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

Tuesday, July 09, 2019

Madeleine Peyroux & Emily Barker @ Sage Gateshead - July 8

Madeleine Peyroux (vocal/guitar); Andy Ezrin (keys); Jon Herington (guitar); Paul Frazier (bass guitar); Graham Hawthorne (drums).
(Review by Lance/Photo courtesy of Raphaël Perez © 2019 *)

The barflies arrived in time (just) for the main event making Level One of Sage One maybe 90% full. They should have got there earlier...

However, they were in time for the big deal which was a very big deal indeed. M'amselle Peyroux - ok I know she was born in Georgia and lived in Brooklyn but I always think of her as French and she did sing a number in that most musical of languages that could have been created on the boulevards of Paris - was in good voice. 

A charismatic blend of jazz, country, folk and blues sung over a groove-making quartet put this on a par with her two previous Sage concerts that I'd been privileged to catch. Unlike so many of today's singers, her voice has identity which, in an era when women vocalists are being served up on a conveyer belt, is quite something.

A mix of originals, a couple of which were new (to me) and a few standards such as the delightful old Astaire number Isn't This a Lovely Day to be Caught in the Rain? complete with the Irving Berlin verse, Moon River and the finale Careless Love which had solos all round including drums. This brought the house down and the audience demanded more. Well you all know my views on encores - enough is enough! Ok if they pause, nod to each other and give us one more - that's fine but when they troop off stage and wait until the crowd's hands are blistered and their voices hoarse from shouting 'more' before they condescend to trot back on is an ovation too far so I missed the encore which I'm sure would be as good as what I'd already heard.

Oh yes, her patter was also good: "This song is dedicated to my dad who was a drunk. It started when he saw a sign that read 'Drink Canada Dry'..."

Emily Barker (guitar/harmonica/vocals).
I'm like the barflies mentioned in the opening paragraph. When I see the dreaded words Support Act I head for the bar to down a couple of shots. However, this time I wasn't seated at the end of the row and thus unable to make a discreet exit.
Thank you God for acting in my best interests!

Guitar playing Australian singer/songwriters have never featured prominently on my bucket list - until now that is! 

Emily Barker changed all that. Interesting songs and a pleasing voice that altered dramatically when she paid tribute to Sister Rosetta Tharpe - Sister Goodbye. This was something else. No longer the girl next door this was a gospel hollerin' mama blowing harp like Sonny Terry and strumming guitar like Brownie McGhee.

The set flew past in an inst and it was no surprise that she moved a fair bit of CD and vinyl during the break. If this had been Hollywood the star would have said, "Get rid of her" and the director would have replied (to quote the title of a book/film*) "The kid stays in the picture."

The good news is that the girl, who also provided the music for 9 episodes of the TV series Wallander, is back in the picture at Sage Gateshead in October to launch a duo CD of hers in the Northern Rock Foundation Room.
I'll be there.

Emily graciously consented for me to take a couple of photos. Unfortunately, by 'Royal Command' no photography was allowed in the hall so, once again, I have had to call on our man in Paris, Raphaël Perez, for a photo he shot of  Madeleine in the French capital last year.
Lance
*The Kid Stays in the Picture by Robert Evans (1994).

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