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Bebop Spoken There

Sullivan Fortner: ''I always judge it by the bass player: If the bass player is happy, it's going to be a good night". (DownBeat, February 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

17777 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 98 of them this year alone and, so far, 23 this month (Feb.8).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Tue 11: Steve Summers Quintet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm.

Wed 12: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Jam session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 12: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 13: Student Performances @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 4:00pm. Free. Inc. Olly Styles (tenor sax).
Thu 13: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: Artist Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Hannabiell & Midnight Blue.
Thu 13: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 14: John Rowland Trio @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 12:30-1:30pm. £5.00. at the door. New second Friday in the month concert series.
Fri 14: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 14: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 14: Archipelago + Anna Tempest @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £8.00.
Fri 14: Paul Jones & Dave Kelly @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. Rhythm & blues.
Fri 14: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Fri 14: Jazz Sabbath @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 15: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 15: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 15: Elkie Brooks @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. ‘The Long Farewell Tour’.
Sat 15: Milne Glendinning Band @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 16: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 16: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: BBC Introducing NE X MOBO Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Jambone, Knats, Rivkala, SwanNek.
Sun 16: The Shayo Experience @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 16: Gerry Richardson Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 16: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 17: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 17: Russ Morgan Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

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

Saturday, September 07, 2019

Jeff Barnhart & John Hallam @ Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club - September 7


Jeff Barnhart (piano, vocals); John Hallam (tenor sax, baritone sax, clarinet); Keith Stephen (guitar, banjo); Bruce Rollo (double bass)  
(Review by Russell)

The Mr Men returned one year on from their last get together at Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club. As usual St Augustine's on Larchfield Street catered to a large crowd of dyed-in-the-wool classic jazz era enthusiasts. Today's lunchtime session led by principals Jeff Barnhart and John Hallam would stray into early swing territory without testing the resolve of the faithful. 

The Mr Men - Barnhart, Hallam, Keith Stephen (guitar and banjo) and string bass maestro Bruce Rollo - as they're known picked up from where they left off twelve months ago with Fine and Dandy. It was just that - fine and dandy - with all four contributing succinct calling-card solos topped off by an equally succinct round of fours. And so it went on, four friends playing a selection of favourite numbers - Petite Fleur (Hallam on baritone sax, the quartet moving effortlessly from Latin to swing and back again), You're Driving Me Crazy and a Eubie Blake solo piano medley feature from Barnhart comprising I'm Just Wild About HarryMemories of You and Charleston Rag. In no time the interval was upon us but not before the Mr Men closed out the first set with There Will Never be Another You.

The ebullient American piano virtuoso Barnhart indicated the second set would begin with a dream sequence - Dream Man (Hallam on baritone), You Stepped Out of a Dream (Hallam clarinet) culminating in fours then twos, followed by a dream version of Ain't Misbehavin' (an audience request). What's the betting that if Barnhart met Fats Waller they'd be best pals?!

Our virtuoso six-stringer Mr Keith Stephen switched to his four string banjo for a rollicking Swing That Music - Darlington's faithful loved it! A ballad was called for, we got A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square but it wasn't long before Stephen upped the tempo once more when calling Sweet Georgia Brown (in F).   

Ellington's Ring Dem Bells sizzled and in no time it was time to go, with, as Barnhart observed, a song for our times - Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea. It had been yet another winning afternoon at Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club. Jeff Barnhart returns in a fortnight (Saturday 21) with Reel 2 of his silent movie-piano accompaniment show. Curtain up at 12:30pm.    
Russell

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