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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

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

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.

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.

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, November 14, 2019

Sirkis-Bialas IQ @ King's Hall, Newcastle University - Nov 14

Asaf Sirkis (drums, percussion, konnakol); Sylwia Bialas (vocals, waterphone); Frank Harrison (piano, keyboards); Kevin Glasgow (bass guitar). 
(Review by Russell).

The IQ's second album featured during this afternoon's King's Hall concert. Our New Earth serves to showcase the compositions of the two principals - Asaf Sirkis and Sylwia Bialas - with committed contributions from pianist Frank Harrison and bassist Kevin Glasgow. Drummer Sirkis did the talking, Bialas did the singing, all four did the playing to an attentive audience.

Sirkis' fizzing sticks, Bialas' soaring, at times near-operatic vocals, Harrison's mature piano playing, Glasgow's precise six-string bass playing, IQ (that's the International Quartet) is a working unit of five years or so and it shows - a glance, a nod, a smile, they knew where they were going. 

Bialas' Nocturnity pressed the Polish vocalist's waterphone into action. Consisting of a resonator bowl, cyclindrical neck and brass rods, the waterphone or 'ocean harp' emitted a range of resonant sounds as Bialas first scraped across the rods with a bow then struck with a rubberised hammer. As Sirkis, Harrison and Glasgow picked up on the sounds echoing around the room Bialas' vocal explorations encompassed lyrical expression in the form of scat and vocalese. 

For those unfamiliar with the work of Asaf Sirkis, the Israeli born, London resident musician is a fine drummer. A treat on some of his gigs, as was the case here in Newcastle, is to hear him launch into konnakol Carnatic (south Indian) singing. Applause should have reverberated around King's Hall but, somehow, Sirkis' vocal dexterity met with silence - perhaps, on this occasion, it wasn't the done thing to show appreciation.

A two-part suite - Rooting and the new CD's eponymous Our New Earth - concluded the performance which went down well with the public and student audience alike.
Russell.

3 comments :

Patrick said...

If there is no applause - the audience didn’t like it

Russell said...

Patrick, the absence of applause during a performance doesn't necessarily indicate audience dissatisfaction. On this occasion Asaf Sirkis' brilliant vocal feature didn't prompt applause, principally because everyone present was transfixed, listening intently to the group performance.

Chris K said...

Russell, I think you're spot on. Furthermore, the audience didn't seem to be familiar with a jazz format ...there was no applause for any individual solo effort, even the more conventional keyboard and bass. There was, however, sustained applause at the end of each song!

This was justified as this was a remarkably gifted outfit playing some remarkable music!

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