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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

17733 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 53 of them this year alone and, so far, 53 this month (Jan. 20).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Wed 22: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 22: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 22: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 22: Pasadena Roof Orchestra @ Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm.

Thu 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free. Fortnightly.
Thu 23: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Obituaries 2024.
Thu 23: Jason Isaacs @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:30-6:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Thu 23: Pedal Point Trio @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 24: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Creakin’ Bones & the Sunday Dinners @ Lindisfarne Social Club, Wallsend. 9:00pm. Admission: TBC. Jazz, blues , jump jive, rock ‘n’ roll.

Sat 25: Boys of Brass @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:30-5:30pm. Free.
Sat 25: New '58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson's Wharf, Hartlepool. 6:30pm (doors). Free. A Burns' Night event. Jazz, swing, funk, soul, blues etc.
Sat 25: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 25: Red Kites Jazz @ Parish Hall, St Barnabas’ Church, Rowlands Gill. 7:30pm. £10.00. BYOB (tea & coffee available), raffle. Proceeds to St Barnabas’ Church. Performance feat. Shayo (vocals).
Sat 25: Jack & Jay’s Songbook @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Graham Hardy Eclectic Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 26: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 26: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:30pm. Free.
Sun 26: Gratkowski, Tramontana, Beresford, Affifi @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.
Sun 26: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 27: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 28: ???

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Thu 30: Matters Unknown (aka Jonathan Enser, Nubiyan Twist) + support TBA @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £12.22 (gig & food); £9:04 (gig only).
Thu 30: Soznak @ The Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 30: Struggle Buggy @ Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Rhythm & blues.

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

What We Did At the Jazz Course @ The Globe: August 3 and 4


What We Did At the Jazz Course @ The Globe: August 3 and 4
(By Ann Alex)

First we drank tea as 9.30am counts as early rising for 15 jazzers. The aim of the course was to develop our playing and technique further under the wise guidance of tutors James Birkett (usually playing guitar) and Faye MacCalman (usually blowing sax). The group exercise to get us going saw us each doing one of 3 things, singing a short riff, singing a rhythm, or doing body percussion, which I found can actually hurt if you slap your leg too hard.


We were all loosened up, ready to split into 2 groups. James's group sounded a bit technical for my taste so I opted to go with Faye, along with some sax players, a keys man, guitars, a drummer and another singer, Sheila, who doubled as lunch organiser. The rest of Saturday was really good and interesting, improvising with very few notes, (even with just 1 note is possible), and using 4 different blues progressions. Not certain what the other group got up to but it involved the circle of 5ths and I caught someone talking about dreaded diminished chords over lunch. Before closing business Faye mentioned that we would be composing an original composition on Sunday. Hmm!

By Sunday the personnel of our group had changed, which is allowed, and we'd lost the keys man, a guitar and a sax to the other group. We remainers studied the first part of Mood Indigo, improvised extensively. Then we all spent 10 minutes thinking up riffs and arrangements, based on whatever we liked, but with Mood Indigo still somewhere in our consciousness. I went to the loo for quietness and cheated. I suddenly remembered the tuning of my ukulele, GCEA, and there was the riff! I quoted the phrase I'd been taught at Sage Gateshead for remembering the tuning 'Goats Can Eat Anything' and I was surprised that the group said they'd use the words as well as the riff.

Sheila brought us a pleasing riff which sounded almost tribal, the saxes came up with good stuff, the bass guitar riffs grounded us well and our skilled drummer played with delightful enthusiasm. We were in business, and arranged our piece by starting with Mood Indigo, merging into our riffs, solos etc and ending with singing 'Goats Can Eat Anything' with improvisations. The singing caused great surprise at our performance when we entertained the other group, especially when we asked them to join in.

The other group gave an equally entertaining performance of Autumn Leaves, with very skilled solos from everyone, including keys, guitars, saxes, but very cleverly they managed without a drummer and had no singers. Then we all went home.

I must end by thanking all concerned in the organisation of this great weekend, our skilled tutors, Sheila, Tom and also Dave Parker for keeping us fed and watered, and everyone for taking a full part in the workshops. Roll On Next Year!
Ann Alex 

1 comment :

Liz said...

Well done Ann, loved the story of your weekend, a very good review with your usual touches of humour! Keep it up...

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