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Bebop Spoken There

Trevor Mires: ''My mum is a Dean Martin fan: I'm not, so I would grab my skateboard and get out of the house whenever I heard "Everybody Loves Somebody, Sometime." ". (Jazzwise, 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

17957 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 278 of them this year alone and, so far, 34 this month (April 14).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Wed 16: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 16: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 16: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED!

Thu 17: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Only Six Standards.
Thu 17: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 18: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 18: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 18: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.

Fri 18: Alexia Gardner @ Fika Gallery, Oldgate, Morpeth NE61 1LT. 7:00pm. Trio (Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy).RESCHEDULED FOR JUNE 13

Fri 18: Sarah Jane Morris & Tony Remy: The Sisterhood @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £25.00.

Sat 19: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-3:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 19: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 19: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 20: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 20: Salty Dog @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 20: Spilt Milk @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 20: Tweed River Jazz Band @ The Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 20: C.A.L.I.E @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 21: Newcastle Record Fair @ Copthorne Hotel, Newcastle. 10:00am. Going in search of the Buddy Bolden cylinder…
Mon 21: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. Coquetdale Jazz.

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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