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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

17680 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 23 of them this year alone and, so far, 23 this month (Jan. 9).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Mon 13: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 13: Raymond MacDonald & Andy Champion @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 14: Zoë Gilby Quintet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm.

Wed 15: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 15: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 15: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 15: Hot Club of Heaton @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘third Wednesday in the month’ session. TBC.

Thu 16: Pete Tanton & the Cuban Heels @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 17: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 17: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 17: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 17: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 17: Joe Steels Trio w. Graham Hardy @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £10.00. (inc. a welcome drink & table reservation). Book at: www.drinks@thepele.co.uk. A ‘Jazz at the Pele’ promotion.
Fri 17: Russ Morgan Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 17: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 18: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 18: Alter Ego + Jamie Toms/Graham Don Duo @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 18: Delta Prophets @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 19: Glenn Miller Orchestra UK @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 3:00pm. ‘Glenn Miller & the Rat Pack Era’.
Sun 19: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 19: Spilt Milk @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 5:15-7:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 19: Tenement Jazz Band @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 19: Nick Ross Orchestra @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm.
Sun 19: Freight Train (Tobin/Noble/Clarvis) @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

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

Monday, August 19, 2019

Dan Garel & Friends @ the Globe Jazz Bar - August 18

Dan Garel (alto); Francis Tulip (guitar); John Pope (bass guitar); Matt MacKellar (drums).
(Review by Lance).

I'd heard Garel many times during his tenure at Durham University - usually at the various jam sessions around town - and I was duly impressed. However, this was the first time I'd heard him in situ where he was calling the shots and, to put it mildly, I was doubly duly impressed! Surround him with three other guys of equal stature and the end product is one that is more magical than anything out of Harry Potter - maybe even Chris Potter! 

Francis Tulip met fire with fire and the exchanges between guitar and sax were as exciting as just about any jazz I've heard in recent months,

It's incredible to think that John Pope is now, in this company, the elder statesman - the youngest elder statesman since Pitt the Younger! The Encyclopedia Britannica describes the aforementioned Prime Minister as 'Clever, single-minded and confident of his own abilities' which, come to think about it, could also be applied to the four musicians on stage.

From the opening bars of Hank Mobley's This I Dig of You to Joe Henderson's Recorda Me via standards such as Speak Low, How Deep is the Ocean? some Garel originals, a knockout version of Josh Lawrence's Queensboro Bridge Stomp as well as several other numbers delivered with the power of a Jofra Archer short ball, this was an amazing session.

That they are so young makes you feel like you're getting in on the ground floor of something big. Perhaps hearing Eric Burdon and The Animals at Club A-Go-Go or the Emcee 5 at the Downbeat.

A lot of the music was hard bop but there were also freer moments that brought to mind Elvin, Trane and Ornette and it didn't hurt a bit. They will soon part and go there separate ways but, like true friends, let's hope there are more reunions.
Lance.
PS: Apologies for poor photo - forgot my camera and had to use my phone - never works for me.

PPS: Francis can be heard with the 2018 BBC Young Jazz Musician of the Year, Xhosa Cole, at Ushaw Jazz Festival on Saturday afternoon (August 24) and in a JNE promotion at the Bridge Hotel, Newcastle, the following night (August 25).

2 comments :

Ron said...

The most exciting jazz you will ever see/hear. This was without doubt. An 'I was there moment'
Fantastic Gig!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Excellent review of a superb gig.

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