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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 16: MOBO Song @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 12 noon. Free, performances on the concourse. Line-up inc. Jazz Attack (on stage time TBC) & Jambone (12:20pm).
Sun 16: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt 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.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Jazz Milestones - 1975.
Thu 20: Renegade Brass Band @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 20: Orange Claw Hammer + Peony @ The Globe, Newcastle.7:30pm. Orange Claw Hammer play Captain Beefheart.
Thu 20: Jeremy McMurray & the Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Featuring special guest Zoë Gilby.

Fri 21: JazzMain @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 21: Joe Steels Trio @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £10.00. TBC.
Fri 21: Emma Rawicz w. Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

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: Mississippi MacDonald @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm. Blues.
Sat 22: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Old Cinema Laundrette, Durham. 7:45pm. £16.50. SOLD OUT!
Sat 22: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

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

Monday, December 09, 2019

Jason Isaacs @ Hoochie Coochie - Dec. 8

(Review by Lance).

Last Sunday it was Michael Bublé knocking ‘em dead at The Arena. This Sunday it was Jason Isaacs knocking ‘em dead at Hoochie Coochie. Both venues were packed to capacity and deservedly so.

Just as it had been at The Arena there was a buzz of anticipation about Hoochie. Chris, a charming lady sitting next to me, told me she’d once fallen asleep watching Rod Stewart in Las Vegas. I told her you didn’t need to go to Vegas to fall asleep listening to Rod Stewart and promised her she wouldn’t fall asleep listening to Jason. Nobody sleeps at Hoochie Coochie! 

Conversation ceased as the unmistakeable intro to Cry Me a River signified the show had begun.

Julie London stamped her authority so powerfully on this song that few girl singers can top it. However, as Bublé proved last week, it takes on a different identity with the gender change and Jason moved comfortably into the Bublé ball park.

A high-kicking Bad, Bad, Leroy Brown had the feet tapping and the hips shaking whilst The Way You Look Tonight reminded me just what a great and romantic song this is.

It being Christmas – so they tell me – a seasonal song was called for and we got Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow although nobody hoped that it actually would snow even though we were, supposedly dreaming of a White Christmas but, That’s Life (bit of audience participation on this one).

This was another fun night. Maybe it wasn’t/isn’t jazz as we think of it today more as they knew it at The Cotton Club or the Savoy in Harlem back in the day. To prove it, Jason dusted off his tenor sax for that old jazz classic Why Don’t You Do Right? Jayboy blows good tenor although he is the first to admit he comes in second when he jousts with Lewis Watson as he did later (see photo).

The seemingly inevitable American Trilogy never fails to make me cringe but, by the same token, the powerful arrangement offers something in the way of compensation.

And so the show rolled on Beyond the Sea; Mr BojanglesBrand New Day; Sway; King of the Road; Mack the Knife; Can’t Take my Eyes off You; Go, You’re Indestructible; Never Gonna Give You Up; Jump, Jive, Wail; Sweet Caroline; Suspicious Minds; Burnin’ Love and the crowd pleaser which had just about everyone on their feet - New York, New York. One of these days he will substitute New York, New York with Newcastle, Newcastle. Yesterday would have been a good time as United had just beaten Southampton – the opportunity may never come again!

And then it was all over except it wasn’t – this crowd weren’t going to let him take an early bath – and the pink-suited hero of the hour returned to tell us that Everybody Needs Somebody.

A predictable but nonetheless enjoyable evening.
Lance 
Jason Isaacs (vocals/tenor sax); Darren Irwin, Mark Webb (trumpets); Dave Brock (trombone); Niall Armstrong (alto sax/clarinet/flute); Lewis Watson (tenor sax/flute); Stu Collingwood (piano); Neil Harland (bass); Simon Ferry (drums).

1 comment :

Liz said...

How fortunate you are up there to have such performers as Jason Isaacs, nothing like that here in York!

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