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

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

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Jo Harrop & Jamie McCredie @ Holy GrAle, Durham - Nov 15

Jo Harrop (vocals); Jamie McCredie (guitar)
(Review by Russell)

Lumiere, Durham's spectacular lightshow festival, attracts thousands upon thousands of visitors but on Friday evening numbers were down ever so slightly as some preferred to spend their evening in an arched, brick-lined cellar on Crossgate. The big attraction at Holy GrAle was an intimate duo gig featuring two north easterners who base themselves in London but were 'up north' for a couple of days to play two gigs, one in Newcastle and this engagement in Durham City.


Hours earlier Jo Harrop and Jamie McCredie entertained a lunchtime full house at the Lit & Phil, here in Durham a select audience gathered for an eagerly anticipated performance of GASbook standards. 'S Wonderful sang Jo Harrop - how appropriate, this was absolutely wonderful! Holy GrAle's performance space is so small all present get an up close, front row experience. All evening there wasn't a lyric sheet in sight as Harrop chose a favourite tune, then another, her musicial partner Jamie McCredie supremely relaxed with the evolving set list. No Moon at All, Ellington's I've Got it Bad and That Ain't GoodCorcovado, Harold Arlen's As Long as I Live, a heart-rending I'm a Fool to Want You and from Harrop's Songs for the Late Hours, Vincent Youmans' More Than You Know. Harrop and McCredie's interpretations of timeless material were a joy to listen to.

Second set, more of the same - superb singing, the influences - Anita, Billie, Ella, Sarah - in the air, jazz guitar accompaniment of the highest order with impossibly fleet-fingered solos, it doesn't matter where you went - Ronnie's, the Village Vanguard - you wouldn't hear anything better than this. Love Me or Leave Me (up-tempo, the business!), Tom Waits' Temptation, Richard Rodgers' This Can't Be Love, a blues - Randy Newman's Guilty, if only Harrop and McCredie could've played all night! 

What a Little Moonlight Can Do (one of the few numbers reprised from the Newcastle performance), Fine and Mellow, it had been a memorable evening and, to close, Ms Harrop made the observation that they'd finish with the first number of their day. At one 'clock on Tyneside Burton Lane and Yip Harburg kick-started their Friday away day and so Harrop and McCredie said goodnight with That Old Devil Moon.     
Russell

No comments :

Blog Archive