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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

Sat 15: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 15: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 15: Elkie Brooks @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. ‘The Long Farewell Tour’.
Sat 15: Milne Glendinning Band @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

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.

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 17, 2019

Sage YMP: Jambone, JB CATS, Jazz Attack and Percussion Ensemble @ Sage Gateshead - Dec.14

(Review by Chris K)

The first outing of the 2019-20 term for Sage Gateshead's jazz ensembles at the Winter Festival, and a chance to see the young talent as work in progress.   The ensembles range from 10-19 and benefit from superb tuition, leadership and facilities - so no pressure when they perform at their home venue!

First up were Jazz Attack  (aged 10-16) on the concourse, in fine form and numbers with keyboards and reeds  a plenty but short on brass and especially drums, drafting in leader Paul Edis - is there nothing this man can't  turn his hand to?  A stirring carol, followed by a very slinky rendition of old favourite Chameleon with some great showcases on clarinet, keys and of course bass.  A lively version of Fly Me To The Moon followed before I had to abandon the distant future of jazz to hear the nearer future, in the shape of the older ensembles (aged 14-19) in Hall 2.

The well filled Hall 2 session started with an African workout by the CAT (Centre for Advanced Training) Percussion Ensemble, led from the front by the inspirational Roger Hempsall. Such percussion fests often turn into flat out bang-athons, but here we had chanting, changes of tempo, feel and volume, and  a very impressive round of improvised call and response.  Topped off with drums dying away to a whisper, terminated by leader Hempsall's startling thunder clap!

Next up were JB's (James Birkett's) CATS,  a sextet of 2 guitars, sax, trombone and rhythm section.  A set of delightful and gentle classics of old started with Seven Come  Eleven featuring Nathan Lawson as a convincing Charlie Christian, and strong solos from new members Ben Haslam (trombone) and Sophie Speed (alto). Cinnamon and Clove followed, led by Ben and Sophie, this time on clarinet - a welcome sight in these sax dominated times.

An unusual and very well  received  (funk)  version of Scrapple from the Apple followed, showcasing the excellent (and smiling!) Gemma Watson on drums, driving more great solos from Nathan and Sophie. Gemma then showed off her brush work on the lovely ballad When Sunny Gets Blue  giving a smooth ride to more gorgeous solos from Ben and Sophie.  Finally Short Stop by Shorty Rogers didn't sell the band short. Rhythm guitar and bass stylishly provided by Joe Ducker and George Ivanov, who was to reappear in the next set on guitar.

Jambone then took the stage with leader and writer in chief Edis leaving the sticks behind to conduct  a set of five brand new pieces of his own.  Jambone had inevitably lost some very fine players last year so it was an open question as to how they would bear up. Not to worry - the rhythm section deluxe of old boys Dylan Thompson (drums) and Alex Shipsey (bass) augmented by another fine new drummer Nathan Hulme, led off in style with Nonchalant . This new smooth swinger from Edis featured multiple fine solos, notably a great bass break from Shipsey and Sophie Speed on clarinet (when she wasn't playing tenor!).  The second, The Town, is the third in Paul's occasional series inspired by the Newcastle Metro system - the others being The Coast and The Long Way Round.  This latest is a collision with Antônio Carlos Jobim -  a most un-Geordie Bossa Nova !

Back-to- back Bede's Blues and the memorable Hild's Waltz were written at the Durham college of that name for the band's inaugural residential in Durham, and showcased some fine solos, with Jack Pearce particularly mature on alto, and the drummers trading 4's in some style.  The hit of the day though was Runaway Momentum, inspired by watching the Great North Run, rather than the catastrophe overtaking  the Labour Party.  This was a complex and challenging rhythmical task, in a sparse and abstract mood,  carried off with some aplomb by the band (seemingly to the writer's surprise!). The piece was set up by Shipsey on bass ostinato, with Thompson on marimba laying down a repeated line which slipped continuously through the bars landing at different points each time due to changing time sigs. Clever stuff, but emotionally charged  too, with duelling leads from first Adam Johnston on bari sax and the full-toned Zak Parlby on tenor, then Ferg Kilsby (trumpet) and newboy Sam Banks on trombone. 

The set closed with Stuffy Turkey, Thelonious Monk's incongruous attempt at a Christmas hit!  This featured a trademark quirky soprano solo from Haaruun Miller and stylish piano from Jacob Russan-Pritchett. With a six strong reeds line up (completed by Suzy Hull on alto), and brass line up completed by the powerful James Goldberg on trumpet, Jambone are clearly in good voice and in good hands.

I caught them again the next day supporting Paul Edis' new smash hit Christmas Jazz  extravaganza at Middlesbrough Town Hall, where some rough edges had already been knocked off. Be sure to catch their performances next year at the Gateshead Jazz Festival and elsewhere, as they will only get even better! 
Chris K.

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