Total Pageviews

Bebop Spoken There

Van Morrison: ''Basically, I'm coming from jazz. Not pop, not rock, not what's commercial. That's where I started, and that's still where I am. I feel the same as I did when I was listening to Louis Armstrong, Lead Belly, Jelly Roll Morton''. (The Northern Echo, 12 June 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

1803759 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 480 of them this year alone and, so far, 58 this month (June 18).

From This Moment On ...

JUNE 2025

Thu 19: Gareth John & the SOS Big Band @ The Forum Music Centre, Darlington. 7:00pm. £25.00. CANCELLED!

Fri 20: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 20: David Gray's Flextet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 20: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. £21.50. ‘Time After Time’.
Fri 20: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm.
Fri 20: King Bees @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. Superb Chicago blues band.

Sat 21: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 21: Red Kites Jazz @ Staithes Café, Dunston. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Sat 21: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 22: Phoenix 4 @ Wallington, Northumberland. 12 noon-1:00pm & 2:00-3:00pm. Tel: 01670 773606. National Trust admission prices apply. ‘Tunes in the Blooms’.
Sun 22: Lapwing Trio @ Wallington, Northumberland. 1:00-2:00pm. Tel: 01670 773606. National Trust admission prices apply. ‘Tunes in the Blooms’.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Jason Isaacs Trio @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 4:00pm. £18.00. + £1.08 bf.
Sun 22: JazzMain @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 23: MSK Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance.
Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club (1:00pm). Free.

Tues 24: ???

Wed 25: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 25: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 25: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 25: The Magpies of Swing @ The Roxy, Leadgate, Co. Durham. 7:30pm. A Ginger Jitterbugs swing dance event, all welcome.

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

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Newcastle University Jazz Orchestra @ the Dun Cow, Jesmond - Nov. 19

(Review/photos by Lance)

Bass guitarist Ifede Osiyami led from the front aided and abetted by a cast of, seemingly, thousands. It was a no names no pack drill so my apologies for the lack of individual identification.

The sitters in and the sitters out were having a good old jolly jam. End of term was approaching and the students from Newcastle University Jazz Orchestra were letting their hair down.

The material was fairly predictable, albeit often with an unusual twist. For example neither Monk’s Blue Monk nor Garner’s Misty were taken at the tempo devised by the composers – but what did they know? Against my better judgement, I found myself quite liking Misty played as a fast stomp rather than a dreamy ballad. And 3 saxes blowing Take Five in unison also added a different dimension.

All Blues preceded Blue Bossa which brought Tom Alcorn to the stand and his playing brought to mind Strictly Smokin’ leader Michael Lamb which isn’t a bad yardstick for any trumpet player. A fast Mr PC, My Favorite Things and Four kept the party mood going.  A couple of trombonists wandered in and out – one may have been from the Bold Big Band who blew a good solo on Misty and the other was Kate Garnett who graduated from Jambone – Summa Cum Laude I would guess.

The first of several vocalists took the mic. Again my apologies for failing to get names but this lady had style and scatted impressively on It Don’t Mean a Thing although she occasionally do wah do wahed when she shouldn’t have do wahed at all. No crime, I’ve heard long established singers fall into the same trap. Ipanema was sung quite appealingly and I’ll look forward to hearing her again in a more organised setting.

Interval time and the walls must have been made of elastic to accommodate the nonstop stream of students heading for the bar and I don’t mean they were budding lawyers although some probably would be in future.

Boy did I feel old!

Still, music is a great equaliser and All of Me, which opened the second set, was composed before even I was born let alone the front line of 2 clarinets, 1 soprano sax and 1 alto sax - their combined ages are probably less than mine!

Another vocal. A couple of guys singing Fly Me to the Moon with a nice sop solo in the middle. An instrumental, the Theme from Black Orpheus, and then another girl singer. This, again unnamed, chanteuse gave us the old Bobby Darin classic Beyond the Sea.

Hit the Road Jack sang another male duo. Presumably there wasn’t anyone in the room called Jack – well there wouldn’t be would there? Perhaps a Tristan or two – as nobody hit the road. It was, arguably, the best number so far.

Dream a Little Dream of me sang a girl who looked nothing like Mama Cass and had a voice not unlike northeast favourite Debra Milne.

Bass and drums brought in A Night in Tunisia with a devastating trumpet blast from Alcorn and a nice alto solo from someone else.

Jordu, I think, took us into extra time (already I had visions of the neighbours complaining of noise pollution) but, if we thought it was all over, it wasn’t as the action moved to the dance floor where musicians and dancers gyrated to It’s Not Unusual which was unusual for a jazz jam. It was at this point that the Metro beckoned and I left although the music followed me for at least 100 yards.

If anyone would care to supply me with names please do.
Lance.

2 comments :

Emily Clare (NUJO) said...

Thanks for coming to our Jazz Jam last night I’ve got some names from last night that are missing if that’s useful for you

Misty - Alex Utting - former NUJO

It Don't Mean a Thing - Katharine Hurwitz

Fly Me to the Moon - Siegfried Aylward and Aaron Turner

Hit the Road Jack - Kit Giroux and Connor Polley

Night in Tunisia - alto - Pippa Morgan

Then Soprano Sax was Jake Stephens

Lance said...

Thanks Emily. Incidentally, given that there are a number of jams going on in and around town, any of last nights' players would be welcome to drop by at any of the them. Check out the listings.

Blog Archive