Total Pageviews

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

17755 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 76 of them this year alone and, so far, 1 this month (Feb.1).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Sat 08: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 08: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 08: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 08: Lewis Watson Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 08: Anth Purdy @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. ‘Swing Jazz Guitar’.
Sat 08: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A Newcastle University Jazz Orchestra event. All welcome.

Sun 09: The New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 09: Glenn Miller & Big Band Spectacular @ The Forum, Billingham. 3:00pm.
Sun 09: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Tom Remon & Mark Williams @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 09: Rod Oughton’s Tomorrow’s New Quartet with Ben van Helder @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Line-up inc. Deschanel Gordon.
Sun 09: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 10: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

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.

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 24, 2019

Rob Heron & the Tea Pad Orchestra @ King's Hall, Newcastle University - October 24

Rob Heron (vocals, guitar); Tim Bloomer (guitar); Tom Cronin (mandolin, harmonica, vocals); Colin Nicholson (accordion, vocals); Ted Harbot (double bass)
(Review by Russell)

A standing-room-only King's Hall welcomed the return of Newcastle University alumni Rob Heron and the Tea Pad Orchestra. So full was Armstrong Building's concert hall some sat on the floor in front of the stage. Ten numbers, all written by Heron, (Drinking Coffee Rag co-written with Tom Cronin),  plus an unusual encore, the lunchtime set flew by. 

Bandleader Rob Heron doesn't care what label is attached to the Tea Pad Orchestra - Western swing, blues, country, rock 'n' roll - as long as you understand that they're '100% sincere and 100% immersed in it all'. For three quarters of an hour a capacity audience immersed itself in the music. 

Still Go Honky Tonkin' sang Heron, insisting he had a right to play American music despite hailing from the other side of the Atlantic. Songs about love - Holy Moly (I'm in Love Again); a song about drinking - Drinking Coffee Rag; a piece of jump-jive gibberish, a la Louis Jordan - Cats and Chickens; a rockabilly-style timely political reminder about taxes and rent and going after the one percent; a song from student days in the form of a jazz standard 'utilising the circle of fifths chord progression' - Hot Bath, the set list kept things moving, never a dull moment.

Heron's vocals referenced the Americana tradition (Woody Guthrie, a plaintive Hank Williams, the tomfoolery of Louis Jordan) as his Tea Pad band mates covered the waterfront - the aforementioned Western swing, blues, country, rock 'n' roll and a nod to Hot Club-esque jazz. The musicianship spot on - guitarist Tim Bloomer mightily impressive, Tom Cronin's mandolin at times doubling up as a Hot Club rhythm guitar, accordionist Colin Nicholson adding an exotic twist to the Tea Pad's heady brew and Ted Harbot's slap-bass anchorage - the King's Hall roared its approval. 

To conclude a thoroughly entertaining afternoon the Tea Pad Orchestra returned to the stage to play an encore. Heron informed the audience that if he had brought a capo with him he would have gone out on a yodelling song. Quick as a flash someone in the front row leapt up and produced a capo from a coat pocket. Heron's eyes lit up. Taking loan of the capo he dismissed the band, its work done for the day. The Tea Pad's main man, good to his word, went out yodelling! 
Russell

No comments :

Blog Archive