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Bebop Spoken There

George Porter Jr.: ''To me, syncopation is like jazz. It wasn't meant for the masses. It was meant just for a hip few". (DownBeat, May 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

18069 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 390 of them this year alone and, so far, 68 this month (May 222).

From This Moment On ...

MAY 2025

23: Dean Stockdale Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. ‘Celebrating Oscar’. SOLD OUT!
Fri 23: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 23: Anna Reay & Deon Krishnan @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: Joe Steels Group @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £10.00. + £1.55. bf. A Northumberland Jazz Festival fringe event.
Fri 23: Spilt Milk @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 23: Gaz Hughes Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm.
Fri 23: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 8:00pm. £19.00.; £17.00. ‘Time After Time’.

Sat 24: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:15pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 24: Tyne Valley Big Band @ Bywell Hall, Stocksfield. 1:30pm. Northumberland County Show.
Sat 24: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 24: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ The Peacock, Sunderland. 6:00pm.
Sat 24: Dean Stockdale Quartet + Mingus Sings @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:00pm. Admission: see website: www.queenshall.co.uk. Stockdale (piano); Tim Williams (guitar); Gavin Barras (double bass); Gaz Hughes (drums) + Mingus Sings: Sara Oschlag (vocals); Alan Barnes (reeds); Tim Lapthorn (piano); Arnie Somogyi (double bass); Clark Tracey (drums). A Northumberland Jazz Festival event.
Sat 24: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 24: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Sat 24: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £3.00. + bf.
Sat 24: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 25: Northern Monkey Brass Band @ Spanish City Plaza (outdoor stage). 11:30am & 1:00pm. Free. A Whitley Bay Carnival event.
Sun 25: Zoë Gilby & Andy Champion: Bandstand Sessions @ The Sele, Hexham. 12 noon. Free. A Northumberland Jazz Festival event.
Sun 25: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 25: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 1:30pm. Free.
Sun 25: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 25: Catriona Bourne Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Admission: see website: www.queenshall.co.uk. Bourne (harp), Francis Tulip (guitar), James Owston (double bass), Joe Bainbridge (drums). A Northumberland Jazz Festival event.
Sun 25: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 25: Struggle Buggy @ The Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Blues.
Sun 25: Joe Steels Group + Norma Winstone (vocals); Nikki Iles (piano); Mike Walker (guitar); Steve Watts (double bass). 7:00pm. Admission: see website: www.queenshall.co.uk. Steels (guitar); Ferg Kilsby (trumpet, flugelhorn); Ben Lawrence (piano); Paul Susans (double bass); John Hirst (drums). A Northumberland Jazz Festival event.
Sun 25: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 25: Xhosa Cole/Neil Charles/Mark Sanders @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A JNE promotion. Note: Xhosa Cole replaces Nicole Mitchell.

Mon 26: Catriona Bourne Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance.
Mon 26: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 27: Bold Big Band @ Newcastle Arts Centre, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £12.00. & £10.00.
Tue 27: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Front St., Rothbury NE65 7UT.7:30pm. £12.00.; £10.00. adv. from Tully’s (opp. venue).

Wed 28: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 28: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 28: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 29: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: That’s the Blues, Dad.
Thu 29: Nova.sol + Mikoudi @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 29: Front Porch Three @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Americana, blues etc.

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 02, 2019

Michael Bublé @ The Utilita Arena, Newcastle - Dec. 1

(Review by Lance)

Put simply, this was possibly the most entertaining evening of my life so far! 21, 999 other folk probably agreed with me. Yes, you read me correctly, 22,000 paid big bucks over two nights to see, arguably, the greatest living entertainer on the planet.

From the opening Brand New Day to the final goodbye – You Were Always on my Mind – the unbroken two hour show simply flew by. He had us in the palm of his hand with no two numbers the same. We shouted, we screamed, we sang along, we stood up and danced.
My notes are just a scrambled mess – at a time like this, who keeps score? When I Fall in Love, When Your Smiling, Where or When, Buena Sera/Just a Gigolo (à la Louis Prima); Teenage Wedding (à la Chuck Berry), a White Christmas that was more early Elvis than Bing, Such a Night that harked back to Johnny Ray and a host more including some originals and in between it all the patter.

The patter was good and, no doubt repeated with regional variations in the other towns and cities of the tour. A black and white scarf appeared at the ringside – lots of cheers. “I’m a football fan”, he said, then added “I support Sunderland” – lots of boos (now I realised why they frisked you before you went in) but it was good natured boing, he’d been well primed. With other artists it could have been cringe-making but with MB it came across quite naturally and nobody cringed.

Of course this couldn’t have happened without the 32-piece orchestra. Think Nelson Riddle and you’ve got it. Jumaane Smith had a feature on You’re Nobody Till Somebody Loves You singing it down the catwalk into the audience, following in the steps of “The Master”, before running it down with some stratospheric trumpet playing. The band played Where or When featuring pianist Chang before Bublé went into Sinatra mode to take it out. Tenor and trombone also had their moments. Good to see Vayenas who has appeared on many CDs that have been reviewed on BSH.

The 15 girls in the string section, when not sawing away, were on their feet dancing like the rest of us (see photo) – this was New Year’s Eve come early.

Yes it was indeed, such a night – yes it really was!
Lance

Michael Bublé (vocal) w. Alan Chang (MD/piano); Justin Ray, Jumaane Smith (also vocal), Jean Gaze + 1 (trumpets); Joshua Brown, Nick Vayenas + 2 (trombones); Tim Green + 1 (alto saxes); Jake Saslow +1 (tenor saxes); Jacob Rodriguez (baritone sax); Marcel Camargo (guitar); Erik Kertes (bass); Marion Felder III (drums); Blake Strauss (guitar/keys/percussion); Loren Battley, Loren Smith, Jarrett Johnson (backing vocals).

13 comments :

Abbie Finn (on F/b) said...

Told you he was worth it Lance.

Ray Johnson said...

It was a truly magical night. A great entertainer with a fabulous orchestra.

Jen said...

I was at the Globe - couldn't get parked...!! Know where I would have rather been - you lucky people!!
Jen

Liz said...

Told you so!! when I saw him at the 02 a few years ago, he had exactly the same effect on me, he was so natural, easy going & likeable. I shall never forget that night, and I know last night will be the same for you Lance.

Steve T said...

One of my sons has a friend who he only brings out at Christmas and always compares him to Buble. I have lots of xmas albums so have no need of him, even at christmas. Sometimes you think there's nowhere in the world you'd rather be: Malta was one such moment, as was Steve Hackett. Buble - no, sorry.

Lance said...

Steve Hackett doesn't hack it for me but - to each his own.

Steve T said...

Hackett doesn't hack it for me either, which is why I missed most of the first set. It's true a generation of punk-rockers were brought up to think prog-rock was a joke. As Monkhouse might say, they're not larfing now.

stevebfc said...

I used to like this Blog when it was all about jazz !

Lance said...

This brings us to the eternal question of what is and what isn't jazz. Personally, a big band swinging, some great soloists and a singer adding his own interpretaion of the lyrics, may not be jazz in some folks' eyes but it sure is close enough for me. As I said to the other Steve - to each his own...

Steve T said...

People call allsorts of things jazz nowadays, but people call allsorts of things rock, soul, blues, even reggae. It's terribly right-on for people to say they don't like categories but I wouldn't be very impressed if I didn't know who Buble was and bought one of his albums because it's in a jazz section. Same would be true of Queen, Dusty, Bonamassa and UB40 respectively.

Lance said...

Just as the boundaries of our political parties are never clearly defined and are constantly shifting so are the what is? and what isn't definitions of jazz. Ignoring the record store classifications which sometimes seem to be sheer guesswork - John Coltrane in "Easy Listening" - for me the frightening thing is the festivals. I'm prepared to acknowledge there is room for debate re Bublé. Harry Connick Jr. Tony Bennett but when I see some of the bands headlining big name festivals - not just UK but worldwide - I'm horrified that these should be paraded under the name of jazz.

One could argue that they're providing the do-re-mi to finance the jazz side and that maybe - and it's a very tenuous maybe - in doing so their fans will hit the road to Damascus and end up in Ronnie's or Birdland or your neighbourhood jazz pub.

Why not let us live peacefully? I'd hate to see someone at a concert with a placard - Go home dirty rapper, although, if it was a jazz gig I'd wonder what he was doing there in the first place!

Steve T said...

Chrissie Hinds and Iggy Pop at London absolutely horrified me. They've made their millions and now want to be taken seriously. P!$$ off back to Glastonbury.

Steve T said...

Who wasn't at Buble, which was kind of the point, but was at Steve Hackett, while others weren't.

HMV in Manchester used to put the Clash in the reggae section, presumably because they did a version of Police and Thieves by Junior Murvin, and despite its producer Lee Perry telling Strummer they'd ruined his record, which was kind of the point of punk-rock.
I used to move them to the kids section or the comedy section, though it wasn't very funny.

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