Total Pageviews

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 09: The New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 09: Glenn Miller & Big Band Spectacular @ The Forum, Billingham. 3:00pm.
Sun 09: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Tom Remon & Mark Williams @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 09: Rod Oughton’s Tomorrow’s New Quartet with Ben van Helder @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Line-up inc. Deschanel Gordon.
Sun 09: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 10: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 11: Steve Summers Quintet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm.

Wed 12: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Jam session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 12: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 13: Student Performances @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 4:00pm. Free. Inc. Olly Styles (tenor sax).
Thu 13: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: Artist Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Hannabiell & Midnight Blue.
Thu 13: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 14: John Rowland Trio @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 12:30-1:30pm. £5.00. at the door. New second Friday in the month concert series.
Fri 14: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 14: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 14: Archipelago + Anna Tempest @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £8.00.
Fri 14: Paul Jones & Dave Kelly @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. Rhythm & blues.
Fri 14: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Fri 14: Jazz Sabbath @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

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.

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, January 20, 2020

Sunday Jazz @ Middlesbrough Town Hall - January 19

(Review by Russell)

A jazz gig in Newcastle beckoned on Sunday evening but first there was the small matter of four bands from north of the border performing at an afternoon showcase event on Teesside. Sunday Jazz is a monthly session featuring three bands drawn from across the north of England and further afield. January's edition presented no fewer than four bands, all of them from Scotland.

Top of the bill - and last on stage - was Tom Bancroft's In Common. Drummer/percussionist Bancroft was introduced as belonging to one of Scotland's musical clans. Gina Rae represented the Raes (Tom and Gina are a couple, on and off stage). Bandleader Bancroft spoke in glowing terms of the younger generation(s) of fine jazz musicians emerging on the Scottish scene, many of them award winning musicians. In Common comprises six experienced practitioners from the worlds of folk, jazz and Indian classical music; Bancroft, guitarist Graham Stephen (no stranger to north east audiences), Gina Rae (voice), Sophie Bancroft (voice) and two friends from India - Sharat Chandra Srivastava (violin) and Gyan Singh (tabla). 

Somehow Something opened In Common's set and it immediately became apparent that all six musicians spoke a similar language, that of improvising musicians communicating non-verbally, their instruments doing the talking for them. Flower Child came about following one of Bancroft's visits to India. Violin and tabla worked seamlessly with Graeme Stephen's guitar which, at times, adopted the role of the drone freeing Srivastava and Singh to take improvisatory flight. Bancroft's engaging manner drew the audience into the performance, at one point saying he wrote something - Nette Ball (dedicated to Ornette Coleman) - hoping the piece, with its jazz form, would be a challenge to his friends from India. A smiling Bancroft added, wryly: Unfortunately they were completely comfortable...            
 
Tom Bancroft's In Common: Sharat Chandra Srivastava (violin); Gyan Singh (tabla); Tom Bancroft (bodhran, drums); Graeme Stephen (guitar, loops); Sophie Bancroft (voice); Gina Rae (voice)  

It was an afternoon of award winners. Pianist Fergus McCreadie started in low key fashion. Contemplative, ruminative, slowly but surely stoking the fires with bassist David Bowden and drummer Stephen Henderson only too willing to pile on the hot coals as the trio played a selection of numbers, some of them from the album Turas including The Old Harbour. Musicianship of the highest order - flashing brilliance from McCreadie, Bowden dropping anchor, Henderson all over his kit, this was one tight trio.    

Fergus McCreadie Trio: Fergus McCreadie (piano); David Bowden (bass guitar); Stephen Henderson (drums)

Returning local hero Joe Williamson met up with his bandmates to play a stupendous set of four original compositions. Two cuts from Animal Society's eponymous EP recording plus one from a forthcoming CD and one, a soon to released single (a jazz single!) won huge applause from a sizeable audience in Middlesbrough Town Hall.  

Williamson first came to public attention as a promising guitarist in the Durham Music Service hothouse environment. Following a period of study in Glasgow, the award-winning Williamson stayed on, making Clydeside his home and here he was on stage in Middlesbrough fronting an amazingly talented young quintet. One or two names will be familiar to the Tyneside and wider north east audience - yet more award-winners in the shape of Alan Benzie, keyboards, and drummer Graham Costello. 

A dazzling Morning Star, the epic Kingdom (it'll be on the new album) and Ripples (check out the online video) blew away the audience; technique to burn, precision interplay, constant eye contact, frequent smiles, the quintet knew it was going well. What to call it all? Try 'jazz rock', fusion' - labels are inadequate. Go hear Animal Society on tour, experience it for yourself. A Newcastle date is on the itinerary - March 8. Recommended.            
 
Joe Williamson's Animal Society: Joe Williamson (guitar); Alan Benzie (keyboards); Craig McMahon (keyboards); Gus Stirrat (bass guitar); Graham Costello (drums)  

It's often the way...a new talent emerges via word of mouth, media coverage, online sources etc, yet, getting to see, or rather hear, a performer in concert is the best way to form an opinion. Opening January's Sunday Jazz in Middlesbrough Town Hall was a name on the radar, but no more, just a name. Georgia Cécile is the name. If you're yet to hear Ms Cécile sing then make it a priority to get along to one of the Glaswegian's gigs. The following names will mean something to a north east (and wider) audience...Nigel Stanger, Lewis Watson, Paul Edis, Andy Champion, Graeme Wilson, Zoë Gilby, Claude Werner, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Dan Garel, Jo Harrop, Alice Grace, the list goes on. Those who've heard any of the above will, no doubt, remember when and where they first heard them. In an instant each one became a favourite. Now, add to the roll call the name Georgia Cécile.  

It helps to work with A-list musicians and here in Middlesbrough Ms Cécile had travelled south with pianist Euan Stevenson and bassist Mario Caribé. In a captivating set mixing standards with original material vocalist Cécile won herself a room full of new fans. 'Assured' isn't the word, nor 'commanding', this was a revelatory performance. Phrasing, expression, presence, Ms Cécile is something else! 

Start the way you mean to go on is as good a way as any. Harry Warren's You're Getting to be a Habit, Irving Gordon's Be Anything but Darling be Mine (Cécile referencing Sarah Vaughan's At Mr Kelly's album), Harold Arlen's Come Rain, Come Shine, classic material all, and, taking its place in the set list, was a selection of Cécile's compositions including Always be Right for Me, Month of May (about a short-lived romance) and, in homage to Carole King, Bitter Sweet. This was jazz singing to die for, in fact, singing to die for! Georgia Cécile singed off with I Wish I Knew. One thing is certain - stardom beckons.      
      
Georgia Cécile (vocals); Euan Stevenson (piano); Mario Caribé (double bass).
Russell

No comments :

Blog Archive