Total Pageviews

Bebop Spoken There

Van Morrison: ''Basically, I'm coming from jazz. Not pop, not rock, not what's commercial. That's where I started, and that's still where I am. I feel the same as I did when I was listening to Louis Armstrong, Lead Belly, Jelly Roll Morton''. (The Northern Echo, 12 June 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

1803759 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 480 of them this year alone and, so far, 58 this month (June 18).

From This Moment On ...

JUNE 2025

Thu 19: Gareth John & the SOS Big Band @ The Forum Music Centre, Darlington. 7:00pm. £25.00. CANCELLED!

Fri 20: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 20: David Gray's Flextet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 20: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. £21.50. ‘Time After Time’.
Fri 20: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm.
Fri 20: King Bees @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. Superb Chicago blues band.

Sat 21: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 21: Red Kites Jazz @ Staithes Café, Dunston. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Sat 21: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 22: Phoenix 4 @ Wallington, Northumberland. 12 noon-1:00pm & 2:00-3:00pm. Tel: 01670 773606. National Trust admission prices apply. ‘Tunes in the Blooms’.
Sun 22: Lapwing Trio @ Wallington, Northumberland. 1:00-2:00pm. Tel: 01670 773606. National Trust admission prices apply. ‘Tunes in the Blooms’.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Jason Isaacs Trio @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 4:00pm. £18.00. + £1.08 bf.
Sun 22: JazzMain @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 23: MSK Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance.
Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club (1:00pm). Free.

Tues 24: ???

Wed 25: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 25: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 25: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 25: The Magpies of Swing @ The Roxy, Leadgate, Co. Durham. 7:30pm. A Ginger Jitterbugs swing dance event, all welcome.

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 14, 2019

Francis Tulip Quartet @ The Fox, Hexham - August 13


Francis Tulip (guitar); Ben Lawrence (piano); Michael Dunlop (bass guitar); Matt MacKellar (drums)
(Review by Russell)

The train pulled into Hexham. What's this? The Platform Bar was open for business! Three years and more in the planning, ten days ago Matfen Brewery's micro pub opened its doors for the first time. Several Tyne Valley commuters had called in for a swift half, the temptation to join them was there but the Fox on West End Terrace beckoned. 

Trains, planes and automobiles, they arrived from all four quarters - Birmingham, Durham, London (UK), Boston (Massachusetts, USA) - to meet up with family and friends and play a few gigs (and jam sessions) together. Two days on from a Jazz Co-op date the Francis Tulip Quartet stopped off at Hexham Jazz Club to play a final gig on the band's 2019 'summer vacation' tour.


Hexham Jazz Club's August session featured a return visit by the popular Francis Tulip Quartet. Last time the place was busy, this time the place was busy. The set list mirrored that at the Globe (Jazz Co-op HQ); Kenny Dorham, Mulgrew Miller, John Lewis' Milestones (no, not the department store and not that Milestones, the other one, composed by pianist John Lewis of MJQ fame), a sensitive Body and Soul featuring Michael Dunlop's five-string bass guitar solo, the FT4 played a blinder. It helped that sound levels were lower than at the Globe, all four instruments could be heard and an attentive audience showed its appreciation for consistently good solo and ensemble work. An enjoyable first set concluded with Joshua Redman's Soul Dance.

Wayne Shorter opened the second set - well, the man himself wasn’t in Hexham but his influence certainly was with four young musicians checking him out. Berklee student drummer Matt MacKellar’s intro to Arthur Altman’s All or Nothing at All maintained the high standard as punters settled down having recharged their glasses (Theakston’s Light Foot). Time for a blues - Sonny Rollins’ Solid produced the evening’s highlight with superb solos from band leader Tulip and the shy, retiring Ben Lawrence (piano) as bassist Dunlop walked them through it with MacKellar playing, as the great blues men and women would often say, ‘with  a feelin’’.

Wayne Shorter’s Penelope took it down a notch with carefully crafted contributions from Lawrence and Tulip topped off by Dunlop’s oh-so-quiet solo, all of which was underpinned by MacKellar’s exemplary brush work. Hexham Jazz Club’s regulars wanted more and Terrence Blanchard’s Breathless from the trumpeter’s current E-Collective project sent them on their way.                 
Russell

4 comments :

Steve T said...

Just a slight correction to your notes Russell. Breathless was the final piece and the encore - as at the Globe - was Hancocks' One Finger Snap; a highlight of both gigs as far as I could make out.

Russell said...

You're right Steve, clearly my note taking and memory aren't up to scratch.

steve t said...

It's your age.

Russell said...

What's that? Speak up sonny!

Blog Archive