Total Pageviews

Bebop Spoken There

Steve Coleman: ''If you don't keep learning, your mind slows down. Use it or lose it''. (DownBeat, January 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

17655 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 929 of them this year alone and, so far, 74 this month (Dec. 31).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Sun 05: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 05: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: Salty Dog @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Americana, jazz & blues.
Sun 05: Papa G’s Troves @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free (donations).

Mon 06: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 07: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, North St., Ferryhill DL17 8HX. 7:00pm. Free.

Wed 08: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 08: The Tannery Jam Session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Wed 08: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 08: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Thu 09: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: John H Hammond.
Thu 09: FILM: Soundtrack to a Coup D’Etat @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. 2:35pm. Documentary (dir. Johan Grimonprez) ‘about jazz, (de)colonial history and activism featuring Louis Armstrong, Nina Simone and Dizzy Gillespie’.
Thu 09: Happy Tuesdays @ Ye Olde Cross, Ryton. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 09: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. Ragtime piano. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 09: Mark Toomey Quartet @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. A Tees Hot Club promotion. The session now monthly, next one Thursday 2nd Feb, then first Thursday in the month thereafter.

Fri 10: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 10: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 10: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 10: Joe Steels Trio @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. Free.

Sat 11: Jason Isaacs @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 11: Under the Wellie @ 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

Thursday, March 05, 2020

BBC Big Band @ The Gala Theatre, Durham - March 4

(By Russell)

The British jazz scene has its share of fine big bands and the BBC Big Band stands comparison with the best of them. MD Barry Forgie has been running the outfit for more than thirty years and one or two members of the band have also been around for a long time. Some of the band are relative newcomers but all share one thing in common - they're the tops! Durham's Gala Theatre filled up nicely ahead of the down beat and as the show's publicity suggested it was to be an evening of the music of 'Swing Legends'. 

The Dorseys, Hampton, Miller, Basie, Ellington, Kenton to dangerously modern Gordon Goodwin, the BBC Big Band handled the varied material with ease. Trumpeters Mike Lovatt and Martin Shaw were called down to the front of the stage to stand in the spotlight - first Lovatt (fresh from a stupendous gig with the Strictly Smokin' Big Band at Sage Gateshead) to recreate Harry James' 1941 hit You Made Me Love You (I Didn't Want to Do It) then Shaw playing flugelhorn from a transcription of Stan Kenton's version of Lush Life

During the evening Barry Forgie offered a few anecdotes including the fact that many of Kenton's original charts have long been lost which prompted some dedicated individuals to painstakingly transcribe parts of otherwise fairly familiar material. Our MD forewarned the Miller fans present that there would be an excursion into Dizzy bop territory. Good! The rhythm section flew - pianist Tom Gibbs dazzled with bassist Jeremy Brown a towering presence alongside the brilliant big band drumming of Tom Gordon. Hamp's Flying Home featured vibes man Anthony Kerr and after a couple of hours of non-stop action MD Forgie thought they couldn't go without playing Basie's signature tune - One O'Clock Jump.  
Russell       

BBC Big Band: Barry Forgie MD; ?, Mike Lovatt, Andy Greenwood, Martin Shaw (trumpets); Jacob Cooper, ?, Gordon Campbell, Richard Henry (trombones); ?, Munch Manship, Colin Skinner, Sammy Mayne, ? (reeds); Chris Allard (guitar); Anthony Kerr (vibes); Tom Gibbs (piano); Jeremy Brown (double bass); Tom Gordon (drums) 

1 comment :

Patti said...

Another excellent review from BSH - and this was one of those gigs, for sure! I'm reminded though, from the comment about Glenn Miller - how many jazzers will know about his hot trombone on that late 1920's Mound City Blue Blowers' record - Hello Lola! Hot trombone from Mr Miller, and storming hotter than hot sax break from a certain Coleman Hawkins. Incidentally, this was one of that old sage Philip Larkin's all-time favourite jazz recordings!

Blog Archive