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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

17805 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 126 of them this year alone and, so far, 51 this month (Feb.16).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

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: Mississippi MacDonald @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm. Blues.
Sat 22: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Old Cinema Laundrette, Durham. 7:45pm. £16.50. SOLD OUT!
Sat 22: Michael Woods @ 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: Mark Williams Trio @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 23: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 23: Mississippi MacDonald @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. Blues.
Sun 23: Mu Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 23: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

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

Tue 25: ?

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: Jamie McCredie @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Fri 28: Luis Verde 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: Knats @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £11.50. (inc bf.). Album launch gig. Support act TBC.
Fri 28: Black is the Color of My Voice @ The Gala, Durham. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman show inspired by the life of Nina Simone, performed by Florence Odumosu.
Fri 28: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival: Musicians Unlimited @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 8:00pm. £10.00. (Weekend ticket £20.00., available on the door). Day 1/3. Musicians Unlimited in concert.
Fri 28: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

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

Monday, October 28, 2019

Sunday Jazz @ Middlesbrough Town Hall, evening session: Scottish National Jazz Orchestra - October 27

(Review by Lance)

Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Fats Waller. Three iconic names whose music is still played in one form or another today and, I would suggest, rarely played better than by SNJO.

The first set began with the Ellington segment of the programme. Black and Tan Fantasy/Creole Love Call recreated the early days of Bubber and Tricky Sam plungered and growling via Tom MacNiven and Kevin Garrity.

Hall of the Mountain King from the Peer Gynt Suite swung along in typical Ellington fashion – Ellington’s brand of swing was totally different from anyone else’s.

Sunset and the Mocking Bird, like A Single Petal of a Rose which came later were both from Duke’s The Queen’s Suite. Dedicated to our current monarch it was a one copy recording done solely for Queen Elizabeth II and not released commercially until after Ellington’s death. Duke had forbidden this to happen but his son made it public anyway – family eh?

Daybreak Express was a flagwaver with the appropriately named high note man Alex Maynard hitting the notes beyond top c.

So much for Ellington, come in Fats.

MD Smith left Kellock in charge for four Waller tunes and Brian was in his element. Handful of Keys; Honeysuckle Rose; Zonky and The Joint is Jumpin’ – it was indeed jumpin’ although it was strange to hear this number without the ebullient vocal.

Time for food – “Would you like plain or salt ‘n’ vinegar sir?”

The second set was magic. This, with due respect to Duke and even Fats, was what we’d come for – the complete Atomic Mr. Basie. Forget Kind of Blue, this, to me is the album. As Tony Eales put it – “It always has pride of place in my ‘Jazz Alley’”.

No need to give you blow by blow, suffice to say the soloists did credit to their inspirations –Joe Newman, Thad Jones, Lockjaw, Frank Wess etc.

Tommy and Konrad on tenors, Martin and Paul on altos, MacNiven and Sean – is he really as young as he looks? – Kellock, naturally, Cosker did Sonny Payne without throwing his sticks in the air but names are immaterial everyone contributed.

The Count is dead – Long live The Count!
Lance

Kid From Red Bank; Duet; After Supper; Flight of the Foo Birds; Double O; Teddy the Toad; Whirly-bird; Midnite Blue; Splanky; Fantail; Lil’ Darlin’.

Tommy Smith (MD), Martin Kershaw, Paul Towndrow, Konrad Wiszniewski, Bill Fleming (reeds); Alex Maynard, Sean Gibbs, Tom MacNiven, Lorne Cowieson (trumpets); Chris Greive, Kevin Garrity, Liam Shortall, Michael Owers (trombones); Brian Kellock (piano); Calum Gourlay (bass); Kevin MacKenzie (guitar); Alyn Cosker (drums).

Photos.

1 comment :

Lindsay said...

Thank you Lance - I wish I had known you were in the hall to say hello - we really enjoyed ourselves and looking forward to the next project with Jazzmeia Horn - are you coming up for it?

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