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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

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

A Night @ the Black Swan Jam Session - August 20

(Review/photos by Lance).

It looked to be a typical midsummer (this is summer?) evening with many of the regulars heading off to sunnier climes. The prospect appeared to be  a generally low key jam session which of course it never turns out to be.

The house trio - guitar, bass and drums - took us tastefully through There Will Never be Another You, Alone Together and Stella By Starlight. Staple jam session fayre.

The audience came in two by two and most of them were carrying instrument cases; it was like a gangster's convention in 1920's Chicago.
Chris Kurgi-Smith was the first of the 76 trombones (or so it seemed) and his take on J.J. Johnson's Lament was impeccably played and conveyed the composers mood. I groaned inwardly when I heard the dreaded word Summertime being bandied around. Another lament, my initial reaction. However, Kurgi-Smith made my living easier by playing it uptempo leaving me with the thought that this is how the damn tune ought to be played!

The trumpet invasion began with Elliott Todd blowing open horn on All Blues followed by Michael Lamb and Work Song. In between Mo had occupied the kit a move which meant switching snare drums and hi-hats around to accommodate the newcomer who, unlike Sid, isn't a southpaw.

Kieran Parnaby who is, as are Kurgi-Smith and Lamb, a refugee from the Strictly Smokin' Big Band, gave a mellow-toned Skylark before Walter Feeney went through his paces on Fly me to the Moon. This young man sat in back in April. He impressed then and did so this time around.

Time for a break and who should arrive but Joel Brown who'd spent the past year or so performing good works in Senegal or somewhere.

It took little persuasion for Joel to to sit at the keyboard alongside Grainger on bass and three of the young guns - James Metcalf, Faye and Dylan Thompson. Autumn Leaves; East of the Sun and I'll Be Seeing You went down a treat albeit with some indecisive endings! 

Owen Jones replaced Grainger for It Could Happen to You and it did indeed 'happen' as did All the Things You Are with Jamie Mackay added on Telecaster.

Things were building up as the big hitters moved in. Jamie Toms, 'Showtime' Gray, Michael Lamb and John Pope blew Sidewinder, Feeney returned for  Cheek to Cheek before everybody - and I mean everybody! - crowded the stage for Straight No Chaser.

This was bizarre! Apart from the horns we had three bassists interchanging and likewise three drummers. The fact that one of the drummers was left-handed made it an even more crazy scene as drums were switched to accommodate. Those of us who are old enough to remember the Marx Brothers may recall the crowded cabin scene in A Night at the Opera - well this was it recreated in A Night at the Jam Session!

Soloists were limited to two choruses - any more and they'd have still been playing yet.

It may not have been a musically profound evening (thank goodness!) but it certainly was an enjoyable one and not a singer in sight although  Ray Burns was sighted but didn't perform unless he intended to and got trampled underfoot in the musical melee!
Lance

Paul Grainger (bass); Giles Strong (guitar); Sid White (drums) + Elliott Todd, Michael Lamb, Walter Feeney, James Metcalf (trumpets); Chris Kurgi-Smith, Kieran Parnaby, David 'Showtime' Gray (trombones); Faye Thompson (alto sax); Jamie Toms (tenor sax); Joel Brown (piano); Jamie  Mackay (guitar); John Pope, Owen Jones (bass); Dylan Thompson, Hazem Mohammed (drums).

1 comment :

Unknown said...

Thanks Lance. Nice review of a most enjoyable evening.

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