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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

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: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
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. .

Mon 17: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 17: Matt Forster Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance.
Mon 17: Russ Morgan Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law, Paul Grainger, John Hirst.

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, October 06, 2019

Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music: @ The Lit and Phil - October 5

Raymond MacDonald (alto & soprano saxophones); Jer Reid (guitar)
Massimo Pupillo (bass & electronics); Tony Buck (drums & electronics).
(Review by Steve H)

The Saturday night gig of the Newcastle Jazz and Improvised Festival is normally the most challenging and this year’s offering kept to the formula. Three very different styles of international improvised music meant the evening was fresh throughout and made sure the audience were always kept on their musical toes.

First up were two musicians who play together in the Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra. Ray Macdonald is a welcome and frequent visitor to Tyneside however this was the first time I had come across guitarist Jer Reid. The duo got into their stride straight away Reid has an almost guttural thrash metal style but thus juxtaposed splendidly with Macdonald’s strident and lyrical saxophone. Some of the harmonies the pair seemed to achieve were miraculous and there was such a Scottish feel to the proceedings that I thought I could hear the sounds of the bagpipes. A good solid start to the evening.




Massimo Pupillo is the bass player with thrash jazz outfit Zu and Tony Buck is the drummer with cult improv Aussie band  The Necks  so when they get together as is there want who knows what might occur. The answer on Saturday was a crash, bang, wallop helping of improvised electronic music which had both non-believers and believers united in their enjoyment of what they had just experienced. To quote my friend Gill who doesn’t normally like this kind of thing ‘it was like being drawn into hell’ before adding ‘but in a good way’. Over the top of eclectic electronic chicanery the duo augment the maelstrom with Pupillo’s bass and Buck’s drums. One is taken on a magic groove carpet to hitherto unknown musical lands - a textured soundscape of menace and joy.
 ----- 
Ways: Brodie West (saxophone); Evan Cartwright (drums); Achim Kaufmann (piano)

Ways are a Toronto based duo and for this performance they were joined by German pianist Achim Kaufmann thus making this gig a world premiere. Apparently the guys had only met each other the night before so maybe it was no surprise when things got off to a slow start. Once things got going it became very enjoyable as the trio began to dovetail effortlessly. All three players were technically superb and I particularly enjoyed the effect Kaufman produced when plucking at the strings of the grand piano. West began to really crank up the saxophone whilst Cartwright held things together with his steady and thoughtful drumming. A fine end to a marvellously diverse evening
Steve H.

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