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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, 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

17904 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 225 of them this year alone and, so far, 72 this month (March 24).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Mon 31: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

APRIL 2025

Tue 01: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Mark Robertson.
Tue 01: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, North St., Ferryhill DL17 8HX. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 02: Lauren Bush: The Jazz Singer’s Toolkit @ The Pele, Corbridge. 1:00-4:00pm. Vocalist Lauren Bush with pianist Jamil Sheriff presents a jazz singing workshop. £40.00. (inc. evening concert, see below). Registration required for workshop: www.laurenbushjazz.com. All ability levels welcome.
Wed 02: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 02: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 2:30-4:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Wed 02: Lauren Bush & Jamil Sheriff @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00-9:00pm. £10.00. Concert performance. Tickets: www.laurenbushjazz.com.
Wed 02: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 02: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. POSSIBLE CANCELLATION. See website for updates: www.theglobenewcastle.bar.

Thu 03: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Women in Jazz.
Thu 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 03: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. A Tees Hot Club promotion. First Thursday in the month.

Fri 04: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 04: Ruth Lambert Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Fri 04: Tom McGuire & the Brassholes @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00.
Fri 04: Nicolas Meier’s Infinity Group + Spirit of Jeff Beck @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm.

Sat 05: Tenement Jazz Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 05: Sleep Suppressor @ Head of Steam, Newcastle. 5:30-6:00pm.
Sat 05: King Bees @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Raymond MacDonald & Jer Reid @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 6:00-9:30pm. £7.72., £1.00. (minimum donation). MacDonald & Reid + Objections + Yotuns.
Sat 05: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Kamasi Washington @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £33.00.
Sat 05: Vermont Big Band @ The Seahorse, Whitley Bay. 7:30pm. Tickets: £10.00 (from the venue).
Sat 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 06: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 06: Learning & Participation Showcase @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm (1:00pm doors). Free. Featuring participants from Play More Jazz! Play More Folk! Blue Jam Singers & more.
Sun 06: Joe Steels Group @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Ferg Kilsby, Joe Steels, Ben Lawrence, Paul Susans, John Hirst.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Hooch, Quayside, Newcastle. 6:00pm.
Sun 06: Leeway @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

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, December 25, 2019

Gigs of the Year - Steve T

The Blues and Soul review of the Malta Jazz Festival began with a dictionary definition of 'no brainer', so I've excluded the two gigs that would have made one and two on the basis they had an unfair advantage.

For a similar reason I've excluded Paul Edis' Jazzy Christmas gigs.

I've also excluded two exceptional gigs which generally go under the heading of progressive, even though the term jazz now seems to have the same connotations as progressive music had in the early/mid-seventies.  

It doesn't appeal to everyone, particularly those who didn't make it to Sage Gateshead, though one was Steve Hackett, Genesis' guitarist in the early/mid-seventies and you can catch him at City Hall in the Toon next Nov. and you might see where I'm coming from.

I've excluded Swing Out Sister at Cheltenham for a similar reason and one other to avoid a charge of nepotism (actually I've excluded them all to get it down to ten).

1. Kurt Rosenwinkel - Sage, Gateshead, Sept. 28.
2. Xhosa Cole Quartet - Lescar, Sheffield, Dec. 4.  
3. Dan Garel and Friends - Globe, Newcastle, Aug. 18.
4. Rymden - Cheltenham Jazz Festival, May 5.
5. Kamasi Washington –Cheltenham Jazz Festival, May 6 (See photo).
6. Laura Jurd and Friends - Sage Gateshead, Mar. 3.
7. John McLaughlin - Barbican, London, April 23.
8. Triptych - A recording studio somewhere in Newcastle, April 17.
9. Partisans - Scarborough Jazz Festival, Sept. 22.
10. Tony Kofi - Ushaw Jazz Festival – Aug. 24. 
Steve T

4 comments :

Steve T said...

Actually, the Kamasi gig was the Sage, though I have seen him at Cheltenham ( and Manchester); the Sage was the most recent and the best of the three. While I don't think he's the messiah, I'm not a Kamasi cynic (a bit like Corbyn) so I'll probably go see him next time and buy his next album.

Lance said...

Ah but Steve, then I'd have had no excuse to post the photo - "Who's that dude next to Steve?" That's what folks would be asking. I'm not sure about your ref. to Corbyn - is he doing Glastonbury again?

Steve T said...

Or who's the fat lad next to Kamasi? As I said at the time, I don't think he's either Trane or Kenny G. I'm similarly agnostic about Corbyn, and think the worst thing he's ever done was not stand aside for somebody - anybody - who would have suffered a lesser defeat.

Steve T said...

Actually I really should have included Binker at Boro (and pretty high up too). Better than Binker and Moses and better than Moses and yea, the pianist was tremendous.

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