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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

17805 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 126 of them this year alone and, so far, 51 this month (Feb.16).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

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.

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: Mark Williams Trio @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 23: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 23: Mississippi MacDonald @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. Blues.
Sun 23: Mu Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 23: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. 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

Saturday, December 07, 2019

Kyriaki (Kyra) Pantelidou & Bradley Johnston Duo - Viatores (travellers) @ Gala Theatre, Durham – Dec. 6

Kyriaki (Kyra) Pantelidou (voice); Bradley Johnston (guitars).
(Review by Roly Veitch/Photos courtesy of Malcolm Sinclair)

Have you ever gone to a concert to hear someone you’ve not heard before, wondering what it would be like and then come away at the end thinking “I’m so glad I went to that”? This was one of those magical moments.

Kyra graduated from the Sage B Mus. course last year and returned to her home in Cyprus. Paul Edis, who organises the Gala lunchtime concerts, invited her back especially for this recital, her only performance on this short visit. I don’t doubt she will be back and probably touring. She deserves to be as this, the music, was of the highest calibre. 

In an intimate duo setting along with Bradley Johnston on guitar, the pair took us on a journey through the finest of GASbook material mixed with songs from France, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Greece. A mix of western and world music that was a total delight from start to finish.

Playing at almost acoustic level Johnston provided impeccable accompaniment, alternating between his electric Benson jazz guitar and an acoustic Selmer style gypsy jazz instrument.  Considering that these instruments have a very different feel and need very different plectrums, I had to admire the flawless execution, all played with a nod to the Joe Pass virtuoso solo style which he has totally mastered. The music they performed also offered up flamenco, bossa, waltz, gypsy style, and the final gentle song in a lilting 5/4 time.

With Kyra we have the combination of a beautiful, sensitive singing voice delivered in a most engaging fashion by a charming young lady. Perfect! You could hear a pin drop.

Speaking from my own perspective, so often these days music is quite loud, sometimes very loud. I do believe that music played well at the quietest level, where you get a feeling of a one to one relationship with the artist, is the loveliest thing to experience and for me has much more impact than decibels. As you’ll gather from my comments this is just what the audience experienced here. What a treat!

The eclectic set list: J’ai Deux Amour (Scotto, Koger, Varna); Sophisticated Lady (Ellington); Una Notte A Napoli (Lauderdale, Forbes); Samba De Uma Nota So (Jobim, Mendonca); Misty (Garner); I Am So Sorry (Giannides/Spyropoulos /Papadoukas); (No Habra Nadie en el Mundo (Buika); Black Orpheus (Bonfa); Tu Vuo Fa L’Americano (Carosone); Someone to Watch Over Me (G & I Gershwin); Besame Mucho (Evora); Lush Life (Strayhorn); Ta Stefana Ta Amilita (Cacoyannis/Pampos). 
Roly

3 comments :

Patti (on F/b) said...

Ah - I wish I could have gone to this gig! Please do it again, Kyriaki and Bradley! xx

Kyriaki Pantelidou (on F/b) said...

Patti Durham I wish I could come back soon!

Bradley Johnston (on F/b). said...

You will, Kyriaki x

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