Bebop Spoken There

Ron Carter quoting Sonny Rollins: ''What we call jazz - that's keeping the world in equilibrium. I don't care what kind of music you like out here today. It all comes from jazz.'' (DownBeat August, 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

18799 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 663 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 12) 32.

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

August

Sat 15: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 15: Jake Leg Jug Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £16.26.

Sun 16: Vintage Explosion @ Cliffe Park, Roker, Sunderland SR6 8DB. 5:00-10:30pm. £44.00 (inc. bf).

Mon 17: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 20: Edson Angus Quartet @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 20: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Fri 21: Andrzej Baranek Trio @ The Lit & Phil. 1:00pm. £8.00. Andrzej Baranek (piano); Josh Cavanagh-Brierley (double bass); Dave Walsh (drums). SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: David Gray Flextet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.
Fri 21: Errol Linton & His Band + Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. Excellent blues double bill.

Thursday, February 20, 2020

Zoë Gilby & Mark Williams @ Jazz Café Mezzanine - Feb 19

Zoë Gilby (vocals); Mark Williams (guitar)
(Review by Russell/Photo courtesy of Mike Tilley)

The 'house full' signs went up at Newcastle Arts Centre's mezzanine space and little wonder given that award winning vocalist Zoë Gilby was in town. Accompanying our APPJAG star this afternoon was a man who should be - and possibly is - in the frame year in, year out, for an APPJAG gong, guitarist Mark Williams.   

Dave Brubeck's Travelin' Blues opened the show in front of a standing room only crowd. Invariably the Gilby-Williams' set  looks at a wide variety of material, much of it non-jazz, and this Wednesday afternoon performance did just that. John Martyn's Over the Hill found Gilby in fine voice exploring the late composer's lyrical turn of phrase. Rodgers and Hart's It Never Entered My Mind followed by Joni Mitchell's all-star 'Mingus' album recording of Dry Cleaner from Des Moines further enhanced the duo's eclectic set list. 

As disappointed late-comers were turned away - Sorry, we're full! - Gilby and Williams revisited Kate Bush's In the Warm Room. Ms Bush is a favourite of Gilby, perhaps Williams too. The Water's Edge signalled our vocalist's forthcoming Aurora album launch (Gosforth Civic Theatre, April 23) which will unveil Gilby's lyrical response to trumpeter Tom Harrell's compositions (trumpeter Noel Dennis will, of course, play an integral part on the evening). 

As the first set drew to a close with the always fun One Note Samba your reviewer exited onto Westgate Road to keep a prior appointment.       
Russell

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