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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, April 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

17923 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 244 of them this year alone and, so far, 91 this month (March 31).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Thu 03: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Women in Jazz.
Thu 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 03: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. A Tees Hot Club promotion. First Thursday in the month.

Fri 04: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 04: Ruth Lambert Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Fri 04: Tom McGuire & the Brassholes @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00.
Fri 04: Nicolas Meier’s Infinity Group + Spirit of Jeff Beck @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm.

Sat 05: Tenement Jazz Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 05: Sleep Suppressor @ Head of Steam, Newcastle. 5:30-6:00pm.
Sat 05: King Bees @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Raymond MacDonald & Jer Reid @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 6:00-9:30pm. £7.72., £1.00. (minimum donation). MacDonald & Reid + Objections + Yotuns.
Sat 05: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Kamasi Washington @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £33.00.
Sat 05: Vermont Big Band @ The Seahorse, Whitley Bay. 7:30pm. Tickets: £10.00 (from the venue).
Sat 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 06: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 06: Learning & Participation Showcase @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm (1:00pm doors). Free. Featuring participants from Play More Jazz! Play More Folk! Blue Jam Singers & more.
Sun 06: Joe Steels Group @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Ferg Kilsby, Joe Steels, Ben Lawrence, Paul Susans, John Hirst.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Hooch, Quayside, Newcastle. 6:00pm.
Sun 06: Leeway @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 07: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 08: ???

Wed 09: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 09: Tannery jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm.
Wed 09: Anatole Muster Trio @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £17.50., £12.50. concs.
Wed 09: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED?

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, September 16, 2019

Bruce Adams with the Paul Edis Trio @ Blaydon Jazz Club - September 15

Bruce Adams (trumpet, flugelhorn); Paul Edis (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); Russ Morgan (drums) 
(Review & right hand close-up by Russell/Band photos by Roly)

Blaydon Jazz Club, like most jazz clubs, has had its share of ups and downs...the halcyon days, the big names, the full houses, and, of course, the leaner times. Thirty five years almost to the day (September 14, 1984 to be exact) Blaydon Jazz Club booked a big name to work with the finest jazz piano trio around and, good on 'em, the regulars rallied round making the evening of September 15, 2019 one to remember.
Superstar trumpeter Bruce Adams thanked the Black Bull crowd for turning out, noting it had been twenty years since his last visit. Your reviewer sat there thinking: Twenty years?! It must have been across the road at the long gone Blaydon House Sports and Social Club. Back in the day pianist Billy Harper held court, this evening it was down to Paul Edis to provide impeccable support. 

Tightly-muted and open horn trumpet, full-bodied flugelhorn, a masterful excursion on cornet, Scot Adams led a marvellous session of non-stop swinging jazz. Detailing each and every spotlight solo by all four musicians - Adams, Edis, bassist Andy Champion and drummer Russ Morgan - would take for ever and a day, suffice to say everything - that's innumerable solo spots and ensemble work - was top drawer, a truly wonderful concert which wouldn't have been out of place on Frith Street, Soho or what's left of 52nd St., NYC.

If I Should Lose YouSome Time Ago (Adams observed Art Farmer recorded the number with Jim Hall, Blaydon Jazz Club's Roly Veitch concurred), You've Changed (Billie Holiday made it her own), it became clear the evening's honoured guest had put together a choice set list. Turning to drummer Russ Morgan, Adams noted Lee Morgan - Uncle Lee, said our trumpeter - recorded Hank Mobley's This I Dig of You to which Russ replied: Yes, whatever happened to Uncle Lee? Suffice to say Adams' opening volley lit the blue touch paper. For Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers and Art Blakey read Edis, Champion and Morgan. Fantastic! To close a fine first set the quartet (truly a quartet of equals) paid homage to Doris Day playing It's You or No One

During the interval a genial Adams made time for everyone - talking shop with musicians, reminiscing with fans and shifting a fair number of CDs with a sale of the century two for one offer - then, in no time, with another Deuchar's to attend to, the second set was upon us.   

Tightly muted trumpet introduced Gone with the Wind supported by a swinging trio. Moments like these are to be treasured. Recado Bossa Nova from Hank Mobley's Blue Note Dippin' album showcased Russ Morgan's unsurpassed hand drumming and a stupendous, make that yet another stupendous solo from Andy Champion. 

Ben Webster and Miles Davis recorded Old Folks. Hearing Adams play the thirties' number on cornet was a privilege, not least when our guest stood to one side to listen to Paul Edis craft a sublime solo. Quite a way to mark Blaydon Jazz Club's first thirty five years! 

BSH's County Durham correspondent Tony Eales, sitting front row, played the straight man to Adams' plunger-bought-in-a-USA-hardware-store gag (TE had heard it a thousand times) then, with plunger in hand, our trumpeter set sail On a Slow Boat to China. Flugelhorn on Skylark then it was just about time to go. A supercharged Flintstones raced round the room. No question about it, world class trumpeter Bruce Adams knew he was in similar stellar company. Thanks to Adams, Edis, Champion and Morgan it had been a night to remember. 
Russell        

1 comment :

Patti said...

As BSH's Russell says - this was one helluva jazz gig! And what a night for Roly - all credit to him - and Bruce dished it out!

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