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Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: '' A Love Supreme coincided with my search for meaning in life". (DownBeat, March 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

17873 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 194 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (March 14).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Laurence Harrison, Paul Grainger, Tim Johnston.
Tue 18: Phil Bancroft’s Beautiful Storm @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £13.20 & £11.00.. A JNE-Gem Arts co-promotion.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Nicknames.
Thu 20: Terri Green Experience @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £15.90.
Thu 20: Lindsay Hannon Trio @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Hannon’s ‘Tom Waits for No Man’ set.
Thu 20: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:30pm. Free.

Fri 21: Paul Skerritt @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 21: Giles Strong Quartet @ 1719, Hendon, Sunderland. 7:30pm. CANCELLED!
Fri 21: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Featuring special guest Martin Litton (piano).

Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30pm-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 22: Swamp Stomp String Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Sat 22: Rivkala @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sun 23: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 23: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Mississippi MacDonald @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. Blues.
Sun 23: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: The Great Deceivers @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Tom Atkinson & co play King Crimson (1969-1974). Atkinson (guitar); Josh Bentham (alto sax); Stu Dawson (bass); Jeff Armstrong (drums).

Mon 24: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 24: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

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

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Jo Harrop, Nathan Lawson @ Ushaw Jazz Festival Day 2 (afternoon part one) -

Jo Harrop (vocals); Paul Edis (piano); Andy Champion (bass); Russ Morgan (drums) + Matt Anderson (tenor sax).
(Review by Lance).

Day 2 of the Ushaw Jazz Festival began with one of our favourite singers, Jo Harrop, who presented a programme that could have been subtitled Jo Harrop Sings Paul Edis as, apart from pieces by Walter Donaldson, Frank Loesser, Billie Holiday, Richard Rodgers and Leonard Bernstein, as well as Brook Bowman's East of the Sun featuring a guest appearance by Matt Anderson, Jo's remaining numbers were all words and music by Edis. 

Not that I'm complaining! They're fine contemporary tunes with lyrics that have meaning. Plus, Jo was in good voice and looked stunning in an ankle length gown and  killer heels.

A fine start to the afternoon.
Nathan Lawson (guitar)

After Jo's Some Other Time, The field of operations moved from the Francis Thompson Room to the architecturally breath-taking  St Cuthbert's Chapel. A grade 1 listed building it makes your average cathedral seem like the local parish church. It was within these sacred walls with its high ceiling and magnificent stained glass windows that Nathan Lawson made his Ushaw Festival debut. Nathan, who only recently left 6th form, gave an impressive performance that despite the muddied sound on some of the lower frequencies didn't detract from our appreciation of this delightful short set.

Despite his youth, Nathan engaged the crowd with unassuming patter and impressed them with his command of his instrument - a left handed semi-acoustic - and, with not an ipad in sight. Great things are expected of this young man. 

Quiet Nights; Bye Bye Blues; Tenderly; I Got Rhythm; Alice in Wonderland and We'll Meet Again were all tastefully and skilfully played. We'll Meet Again? We hope so...
Lance.

1 comment :

Russell said...

Yes, it was a fine start to the day with Jo as fabulous as always (with a half decent backing band!). Nathan's set more than met expectations - our Gretsch-playing southpaw's rapport with the audience suggests he has an experienced tutor in his corner (Dr J Birkett). This St Cuthbert's Chapel performance was Nathan's debut as a solo recitalist although in 2018 he entertained a crowded Francis Thompson Room as one third of the standards' trio In Other Words.

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