Total Pageviews

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

17904 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 225 of them this year alone and, so far, 72 this month (March 24).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Mon 24: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 25: Fred Wesley & the New JB’s @ The Cluny. 7:30pm (doors). £27.50. POSTPONED! New date Wednesday 26 November.

Wed 26: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 26: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 26: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 27: Hannabiell & Midnight Blue @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 27: Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Superb blues duo.

Fri 28: Giles Strong Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00 SOLD OUT!.
Fri 28: Spilt Milk @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £8.00.
Fri 28: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Old Cinema Laundrette, Durham. 7:45pm.
Fri 28: Sue Ferris Quintet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £10.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 28: Mostly Moonlight @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Fri 28: Juliana Day & Manon McCoy @ Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00.; £10.00. advance. JNE.

Sat 29: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 29: Doris Day Story @ Phoenix Theatre, Blyth. 7:30pm.
Sat 29: Squabble! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 30: Jan Spencelayh & Dave Archbold @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 30: Jamil Sheriff Trio w. Nadim Teimoori @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 30: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 30: Jamil Sheriff Trio w. Nadim Teimoori @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

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

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Beverley Knight sings Stevie Wonder @ Sage Gateshead - October 9

A jazz gig? No, but the music of Stevie Wonder all but guarantees some interest, not least in the arrangements for the horn section. A successful BBC Radio 2 Friday Night is Music Night Live broadcast concert performance encouraged all concerned to do it again. And so it came about that Sage Gateshead found itself on a ten date British tour itinerary.

The star of the show, Beverley Knight, clad in a figure-hugging jumpsuit a la Diana Ross, bounded onto Sage One's stage to tumultuous acclaim and from there on in it was an exhausting, non-stop revue of all things Stevie Wonder plus a choice selection from Knight's 25 year back catalogue of hits.

Knight's 'backing band' was none other than the Leo Green Orchestra and, as anticipated, one or two familiar jazz faces were in the line-up. From the famous opening riff of Superstition to the closing number from the days of Little Stevie Wonder - Uptight - everything certainly was alright. The band - a four-strong horn section, three keyboards, two guitarists, a bass player holding down the James Jamerson role, drums, percussion, the BK Strings (two violins, viola, cello) and a quartet of backing singers - gave a committed performance under the direction of Leo Green.

Hard bop tenor star Leo Richardson enjoyed the occasion to the extent that he willingly joined in the dance routines! One of drummer Ed Richardson's regular gigs is working in Leo's blistering quartet yet here he was at Sage Gateshead nailing the Motown charts. In truth there wasn't a great deal of space for the horns to have a blow although Leo did feature briefly on For Once in My Life.

Ms Knight welcomed a surprise guest to join her on a couple of numbers, Wearside-born Dave Stewart of Eurythmics' fame. From start to finish the audience repeatedly got to its feet to boogie on down. The packed hall loved it, the odds are that Beverley Knight's forthcoming new album - BK: Beverley Knight with the Leo Green Orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall will be something of a chart success! 
Russell
at

No comments :

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments ( Atom )

Blog Archive