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Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: '' A Love Supreme coincided with my search for meaning in life". (DownBeat, March 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

17873 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 194 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (March 14).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30pm-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 22: Swamp Stomp String Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Sat 22: Rivkala @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sun 23: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 23: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Mississippi MacDonald @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. Blues.
Sun 23: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: The Great Deceivers @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Tom Atkinson & co play King Crimson (1969-1974). Atkinson (guitar); Josh Bentham (alto sax); Stu Dawson (bass); Jeff Armstrong (drums).

Mon 24: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 24: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 25: Fred Wesley & the New JB’s @ The Cluny. 7:30pm (doors). £27.50. POSTPONED! New date Wednesday 26 November.

Wed 26: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 26: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 26: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 27: Hannabiell & Midnight Blue @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 27: Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Superb blues duo.

Fri 28: Giles Strong Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00 SOLD OUT!.
Fri 28: Spilt Milk @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £8.00.
Fri 28: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Old Cinema Laundrette, Durham. 7:45pm.
Fri 28: Sue Ferris Quintet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £10.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 28: Mostly Moonlight @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Fri 28: Juliana Day & Manon McCoy @ Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00.; £10.00. advance. JNE.

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

Tuesday, December 24, 2019

Gigs of the Year - Lance

(Lance): Well, seeing as no one else has got around to it - TV is so compelling this time of year - here are my favourite moments of 2019.

Michael Bublé may not have ticked everyone's boxes - particularly those who didn't make it to The Utilita Arena - but it was an absolutely fab show. Catch him at Durham Cricket Club's Riverside next August and you might see where I'm coming from.

Staying on the vocal front, Claire Martin's gig with the Strictly Smokin' Big Band at Hoochie Coochie was one of those afternoons that will live beyond time in my memory.

It has been a great year for vocalists - Zoë Gilby's APPJAG award told the world that jazz doesn't begin and end in London whilst Jo Harrop's frequent appearances in her native northeast proved that she too ranks way up there. The guys also impressed. Jason Isaacs blew up his usual, albeit predictable, storm at Hoochie whilst the slightly more laid back Paul Skerritt and his far from laid back pianist James Harrison ignited venues across the northeast.



Just as kids look forward to Christmas, so do I look forward to the annual visit by saxist/flautist Greg Abate. As expected, he blew it apart at the Black Swan with the Paul Edis Trio. I can't think of any living alto player to compare with the amiable American. This was a 10 star gig.

Paul Edis was also on hand when Vasilis Xenopoulos and Simon Spillett showed at Ushaw - another two fantastic sessions. As Sinatra sang, It was a very good year. Alice Grace sang that very same tune with SSBB only she did it up tempo! I wonder what Frank would have thought? I loved it!

At grass roots level the Black Swan Jam Sessions bring out the best of the new kids on the block and, of special mention, Jordan Alfonso (alto sax); Harry Keeble (tenor sax); Abbie Finn (drums); David Gray (trombone); Joel Brown (piano) and a host of new singers.

Down the road, at Middlesbrough Town Hall, Ros Rigby set up a monthly Sunday afternoon session that so far has seen top names such as Gwylim Simcock, Tommy Smith and the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra, the Binker Golding Quartet with the fantastic Sarah Tandy on piano as well as some top local names - if Ros were to manage the local football team then 'Boro would be in the Champion's League.

The aforementioned jam sessions at the Black Swan are periodically enlivened by Nick Gould who, when the spirit takes him, drives down from Edinburgh for a jam.* 

Down south I heard a tremendous session with Leo Richardson at Pizza Express in Soho, caught Alan Barnes at Ronnie's and Matt Wates/Steve Fishwick at the Spice of Life.

These are just some of the gigs that have rung my bell this year - there are many more and I apologise for any omissions - now, let's have yours.
Lance

*On one occasion Nick gave Nicola Sturgeon a lift and he ran over an animal that had strayed into the road. Ms. Sturgeon said he must report it to the farmer. He came back, drunk as a laird, a couple of hours later. The Scottish leader asked him what had kept him? Nick replied that he'd told the farmer that he'd given Nicola Surgeon a lift and had ran over the cow to which the farmer patted him on the back and said "Sit down I'll crack open a bottle ..." (joke - I think!)

2 comments :

Steve T said...

The joke's on this side of the Wall.

Lance said...

Two fantastic gigs I overlooked and both at the Globe.
Dan Garel Quartet and Dulcie May Morino - Wow! and Wow!

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