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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

Friday, August 09, 2019

Jam session @ The Dun Cow - August 7

(Review by Russell)

On Tuesday evening, for no good reason, it was the 'Old Peculier' jam session. This evening's monthly Dun Cow jam session could be called the 'Rivet Catcher' session if, for no other reason, to draw attention to the pub's new real ale loyalty card scheme - the discount card is no more, in its place is a stamper card. As the card was being stamped, the house trio opened with Lady Be Good

Basie, bossa, the trio - the ebullient Mr James Harrison, the man who has a beer named after him, Mr Paul Grainger, and the quiet man behind the traps, Mr Tom Chapman - laid down the foundations for a cracking first Wednesday in the month session in Brandling Village. Mr PG invited the first of the brass men to join the trio on a couple of numbers. Ray Johnson suggested Dizzy's Tour de Force. Our trumpeter played it his own sweet way, switching to flugelhorn for a terrific take on Oliver Nelson's masterpiece Stolen Moments. The breathing alone on this one looks difficult yet RJ expertly negotiated his way through the tune's many twists and turns. 

The soon-to-depart-these-shores Abbie Finn and Harry Keeble put in an appearance following their inestimable contribution at the first of the week's jam sessions down at the Black Swan. Recorda Me found the recent Leeds College of Music graduate Keeble picking up where he left off by blowing yet more superb tenor sax. Abbie? How about Abbie 'First Call' Finn? That'll do. 

Lerner and Loewe's On the Street Where You Live introduced pianist Harrison's mate Paul Skerritt. Our man from South Tyneside could be thought of as the singer's equivalent of trombonist David Gray - i.e. a true 'Showtime' performer. Abbie and Harry hung around to pick up some Pennies from Heaven, things were going well. 

Ben Helm was in the house - good! - and sat in, without pickup, on Blue Bossa with Poppy in the wings, flute in hand. Hey! Look who's here! José Gonçalves and daughter Inês dropped by to play and sing some real, proper bossa. Dindi (ah, this is how it should sound!) and was that Corcovado into Felicidade? José, bass, Inês, vocals, excellent. 

Paul Skerritt hung around to tell us he Don't Get Around Much Anymore with SSBB MD Michael Lamb blowing some Cat Anderson(ish) trumpet into the bargain. We were getting to the heart of tonight's session - with the house trio once more in place, Lamb shared the spotlight with guitarist Helm and the absolutely fabulous Alice Grace on a fun (Mr Harrison was in on it) I Can't Give You Anything But Love (wait for it)...Baby! Ray Johnson, flugelhorn, couldn't resist any longer, joining the assembled talent on Yes, Sir That's My Baby.                   

At Abbie Finn's request the Dun Cow merry go round parked up to allow Abbie to drive a Caravan out of Jesmond which was last seen heading east at a rate of knots with Harry Keeble blowing and blowing followed hot on his heels by a tightly-muted Michael Lamb. Terrific! To close the evening James Harrison (earlier heard entertaining the crowd with some expert accordion - multi talented is JH!) called 'Mr Bublé to the stand. Paul 'Mr Bublé' Skerritt's party piece never fails - Let the Good Times Roll did the job, then some! Mid-tune Finn gave way to Chapman (they didn't miss a beat) with Skerritt winding up to his trade mark, one-shot leap into the air. Good night!      
Russell   

James Harrison (piano, accordion); Paul Grainger (double bass); Tom Chapman (drums) + Ray Johnson (trumpet, flugelhorn); Abbie Finn (drums); Harry Keeble (tenor sax); Paul Skerritt (vocals); Ben Helm (guitar); Poppy Pagan (flute, vocals); Inês Gonçalves (vocals); José Gonçalves (double bass); Michael Lamb (trumpet); Alice Grace (vocals).

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