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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

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. 1:00-2:00pm. £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: Fiona Finden’s Jazz Express @ Flash House Brewing Co., North Shields. 8:00pm.
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.

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: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs 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.

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, February 24, 2020

Vortex Conference

On 11 and 12 March, as part of an EU project with which we are involved at the Vortex, there will be a conference/showcase/workshop etc. at the club. In particular, there will be a public session about the state of the media as it now is. It is an opportunity to take into account the consolidation of the internet impact, as it complements and frequently is an essential replacement of the traditional media, such as BBC and newspapers.

The above, from Oliver Weindling of London’s Vortex, raises many important issues – not just about jazz but about life in general.

As a committed blogger – some say I should be committed – I’ve got an obvious interest. Without doubt the Internet has made information more readily available but, how reliable is that information? Years ago, the stock phrase used to be, “Don’t believe everything you read in the papers”. Today you can substitute online for in the papers.


In fact I remember reading, or hearing somebody say that information garnered on line should be regarded with the same pinch of salt as that elicited from a stranger in a pub ten minutes before last orders.

I must admit that it is satisfying having something such as a book or a glossy magazine even a tabloid newspaper in your hands and yet, if I’m in a pub and reading a book or a newspaper (unless it’s the racing page) I’m regarded as an oddity despite the fact that most others – even in company – are glued to the screens of their mobile phones!

All that aside, an online site that is constantly updated – and I mean by the minute and not by the day – is the way forward.

From a jazz point of view, apart from the specialist monthly print outlets, neither the broadcast media or the dailies (apart from the occasional weekly column) are going to tell you that so and so blew up a storm at a pub in East Lothian or that he had a gig coming up at a bar in Newcastle (on Tyne/under Lyme/Australia). They probably will tell you that he has a gig at Ronnie’s and that’s it.

Here, at BSH, we try to promote the local scene and it is gratifying when someone thanks you for bringing a gig to their attention (this, of course, can also backfire!) I'd also like to think that a localised blog such as BSH brings the local musician's profile to a wider/further afield audience. I know it works in reverse and encourages artists from further afield hoping to land gigs in the northeast which, I'm afraid, doesn't always work out despite our recommendations ...

Summing up, personally I still buy newspapers and mags knowing that, whilst I may not agree with what they say I recognise that I am dealing with professional journalists which not all, myself included, bloggers are.

By the same token, neither were the early jazz, blues, rock, pop musicians pros and yet they changed the course of music just as the pirate radio stations changed the course of broadcasting so It will be interesting to hear what emerges from the project at the Vortex.
Lance

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