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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, April 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

17945 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 266 of them this year alone and, so far, 22 this month (April 8).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Mon 14: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 14: Zoë Gilby Quintet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 15: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 16: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 16: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 16: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED!

Thu 17: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Only Six Standards.
Thu 17: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 18: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 18: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 18: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.

Fri 18: Alexia Gardner @ Fika Gallery, Oldgate, Morpeth NE61 1LT. 7:00pm. Trio (Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy).RESCHEDULED FOR JUNE 13

Fri 18: Sarah Jane Morris & Tony Remy: The Sisterhood @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £25.00.

Sat 19: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-3:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 19: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 19: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 20: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 20: Salty Dog @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 20: Spilt Milk @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 20: Tweed River Jazz Band @ The Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 20: C.A.L.I.E @ The Globe, Newcastle. 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

Saturday, December 07, 2019

Steve Hackett Encore @ Newcastle City Hall 12/11/20

Following his triumphant gig at Sage Gateshead last month, the former Genesis guitarist has announced dates for next year, including - surprise surprise - Newcastle.

This time he's playing Seconds Out; his final album with the band, though he'd left by the time of its release. It's a double (vinyl) album which should be considered one of the greatest live rock albums ever, despite some seriously dodgy singing from Phil on seven tracks from the Gabriel era (including three from Selling England and the twenty three minute Supper's Ready) plus five from the two studio albums since he'd left, including one instrumental.  

Seconds Out featured Bill Bruford on drums (Yes, King Crimson, UK, Bruford, Earthworks) so Hackett's drummer is going to have his work cut out on the mammoth drum duels between two of rocks finest jazz influenced drummers, on the instrumental section of Cinema Show and Los Endos.

Anybody planning on going - and I strongly recommend you should - there are no decent seats left and soon there won't be any.
Steve T.

4 comments :

Billy Montgomery said...

I used to like this blog when it was all about jazz and the only Hackett mentioned was Bobby Hackett!

Russell said...

Well said, Bill. I understand Steve has an appointment with his GP to discuss his 'prog rock' affliction. As for 'Phil', I'd no more refer to Collins as 'Phil' than I would refer to effing Johnson as 'Boris'.

Steve T said...

This is about jazz. Jazzwise never goes a month without talking about progrock and often reviews prog albums, and not just the jazzier end. Don't recall seeing any reviews of Michael albums. In the early seventies jazz-rock - the premier jazz style of the time - and progrock weren't so much cousins as twins. The progrock revival is very much in line with the resurgence of interest in jazz and many of the young jazz musicians admit to major influences from progrock. A focus on musicianship and composition rather than verse chorus haircut should be welcome to jazzers. Part of the problem is that the nostalgia media attempted to present progrock as what happened between the Beatles and punkrock, but that was glamrock and prog was more in line with jazz, soul, funk, blues, reggae etc and only really hit the pop charts in the late seventies when it had - allegedly - imploded.

stevebfc said...

Bebop Spoken here
Is a blog that nobody should fear
You may at first get a shock
With reviews of Buble and Prog Rock
But the sites good intentions are clear

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