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Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: '' A Love Supreme coincided with my search for meaning in life". (DownBeat, March 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

17873 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 194 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (March 14).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Laurence Harrison, Paul Grainger, Tim Johnston.
Tue 18: Phil Bancroft’s Beautiful Storm @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £13.20 & £11.00.. A JNE-Gem Arts co-promotion.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Nicknames.
Thu 20: Terri Green Experience @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £15.90.
Thu 20: Lindsay Hannon Trio @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Hannon’s ‘Tom Waits for No Man’ set.
Thu 20: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:30pm. Free.

Fri 21: Paul Skerritt @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 21: Giles Strong Quartet @ 1719, Hendon, Sunderland. 7:30pm. CANCELLED!
Fri 21: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Featuring special guest Martin Litton (piano).

Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30pm-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 22: Swamp Stomp String Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Sat 22: Rivkala @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sun 23: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 23: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Mississippi MacDonald @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. Blues.
Sun 23: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: The Great Deceivers @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Tom Atkinson & co play King Crimson (1969-1974). Atkinson (guitar); Josh Bentham (alto sax); Stu Dawson (bass); Jeff Armstrong (drums).

Mon 24: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 24: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

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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