Bebop Spoken There

Gary Bartz: ''Music is nature's gift to man. It's the only religion. We're living in a terrible era, but what a beautiful thing music is. Look how it brings us together like religion is supposed to; and with no language barriers.'' (Jazzwise September, 2026)

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

18878 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 742 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Sept. 4.) 21.

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

From This Moment On

September.

Tue 08: Seijiro Murayama & Jean-Luc Guionnet @ Star & Shadow Cinema, Warwick St., Newcastle, NE2 1BB. 7.00pm. £10.00 (advance); £12.00 (on door); £.15.00 (solidarity).
Tue 08: SH#RP Collective @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. Coquetdale Jazz.
Tue 08: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 09: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: Jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 09: 58 Jazz Collective @ Hartlepool Cricket Club. 7:30pm. £7.00.
Wed 09: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 09: NONUNONU @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE. Excellent trio.

Thu 10: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 10: Jacenaite All Crew @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 10: Emma Rawicz INKYRA @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £22.30. Sage Two. Line-up: Emma Rawicz (sax); Scottie Thompson (piano, keyboards, synth); David Preston (guitar); Kevin Glasgow (bass guitar); Jack Thomas (drums).

Fri 11: Esther Bennett @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £10.00. Esther Bennett (vocals); Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass).
Fri 11: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 11: Ray Stubbs’ R&B All Stars @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £14.09 (inc. bf).

Sat 12: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 12: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £16.26 (inc. bf).

Sun 13: 58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00-3:00pm. Free.
Sun 13: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 13: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 13: King Bees @ Shape Patisserie, Darlington. 3:00pm. Free. Duo (Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor). A Rhythm & Blues Fringe event. Blues excellence.
Sun 13: Alligator Gumbo @ The Cluny. 5:00pm. £17.15.; £11.43; £5.72.
Sun 13: Eternal Triangle + Andy Champion @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. JNE.

Mon 14: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Saturday, February 08, 2020

Preview: JNE present the Gaz Hughes Sextet playing the music of Art Blakey

(Preview by Lance)

There are gigs where, much as you look forward to them you feel the press release sums it all up and you leave it at that. Then there are others when you feel you want to put your own 10 cents into the mix. This gig is just such a one although a dime is hardly the currency I should use - a million dollars would be more appropriate!


The Jazz Messengers, arguably the greatest quintet/sextet of all time, and I'm not forgetting Miles, laid down the formula for modern jazz. They built upon the innovations of Bird and Diz, provided the launching pad for just about every great emerging jazz talent - Clifford Brown, Wayne Shorter, Freddie Hubbard, Hank Mobley, Lee Morgan, Benny Golson, Bobby Timmons and many more - many more indeed, except drummers that is! 

Blakey was as good as any ten drummers in fact, had he been that way inclined, he could have out-drummed the Regimental Band of the Scots Guard.

Fortunately he wasn't although the Messengers' version of Blues March provides the proof.

Sadly, Blakey and most of his Messengers are no longer with us but, this being his centennial year, he and his legacy are not forgotten.

Just as Tom Atkinson recently took it upon himself to sit on Ginger Baker's virtual drum stool, Gaz Hughes has done likewise with Blakey's bomb factory and the forthcoming concert at Gosforth Civic Theatre on Thursday Feb. 20 looks to be as close as we'll ever get to hearing the original band at Birdland (and with no minimum!)

A powerful UK line-up by a team who know Blakey's music backwards - Alan Barnes (alto); Bruce Adams (trumpet); Dean Masser (tenor); Andrzej Baranek (piano); Ed Harrison (bass) and Gaz Hughes (drums)

Even now, before I've heard a note and bearing mind it's only February, I know this is going to be in the shake up for "Gig of the Year"! Unmissable! If it isn't I'll eat my hat and yours too - with Marmite!

Gosforth Civic Theatre,
Regent Farm Rd.,
Gosforth,
Newcastle NE3 3HD.
Tel. 0191 284 3700.
Thursday Feb. 20.
8:00pm/Doors 7:30pm.
£12.00/£10.00 (concs).
Lance.

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