Bebop Spoken There

Melissa Aldana: ''Having to play a ballads album, which is something very revealing for a saxophone player, would help me to question some new aspects of how to go deeper into sound." (DownBeat May, 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

18656 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 520 of them this year alone and, so far this month (June 25) 72

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

June

Sun 28: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 28: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 28: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 28: Tim Kliphuis Trio @ St Mary’s Church, Wooler. 3:00pm. £18.00., £6.00. A Wooler Arts Summer Concerts event. Tim Kliphuis (violin); Nigel Clark (guitar); Roy Percy (double bass).
Sun 28: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 28: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 28: An Evening of Jazz @ St James’ Church, Copper Chare, Morpeth. 7:30pm. Tickets: £10.00 from 01670 788869 or 01670 519923. Mid Northumberland Chorus (MD Robin Forbes, Emma Straughan, piano) w. jazz trio featuring Edgar Ho, Oscar Ho & Dave McKeague & special guest Emily Masser. Performance inc. Bob Chilcott’s A Little Jazz Mass + George Shearing’s Songs & Sonnets.
Sun 28: Led Bib @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £15.00., £12.00. JNE.

Mon 29: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 30: Alan Law Trio @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free.
Tue 30: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

July

Wed 01: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 01: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 01: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 02: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 02: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Thu 02: De’Sean Jones & Blaque Dynamite feat. Urban Art Orchestra @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). De’Sean Jones (MD, tenor sax); Blaque Dynamite (Mike Mitchell, drums); Jamie Murray (drums) with UAO horns & strings.
Thu 02: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.
Thu 02: Howlin’ Mat @ Newcastle Arts centre. 7:30pm. Free. Acoustic

Fri 03: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 03: Paul Donnelly Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 03: Martin Taylor @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Taylor (solo guitar).

Sat 04: Spats Langham’s Hot Fingers @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 04: Michael Woods @ Cycle Hub, Quayside, Ouseburn. 1:30-2:30pm & 3:00-4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues guitar. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sat 04: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Take the ‘A’ Train to Summertime: From Melody to Masterclass. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Friday, March 06, 2020

RIP McCoy Tyner

(By Lance)

Steve T has, sadly, brought to my attention the breaking news that pianist McCoy Tyner died earlier today (March 6) aged 81.

No need to write his obituary - that is linked later - his pedigree is well known.

I heard McCoy Tyner live on two occasions. The first was at Newcastle City Hall back in November 1961 with the legendary Coltrane Quartet augmented by Eric Dolphy (Trane, Dolphy, Tyner, Workman, Jones). It should have been a Damascus moment for me but, back then, it was so far ahead of jazz as I knew it that I left totally bemused. 
Fast forward to 2009 at Sage Gateshead (or 'The Sage' as it was known then and still is in most people's minds) and it was a whole different ballgame. Playing in a quartet with Joe Lovano on tenor, after an indifferent first set, they played a tremendous second set and all was forgiven.

I've since listened to the Coltrane albums many times and, over the years, realised just how great the concert, that I despised so much at the time, must have been!

I was so pleased to have heard Tyner again and to truly appreciate his genius.

Farewell to one of the greats - Rest In Peace.
Lance.

NY Times obituary.
at

2 comments :

Steve T said...

No doubt, one of the biguns. I've only just started playing through the Heavyweight Champion and Complete Studio Impulse Recordings again. His short solo on My Favourite Things I rate amongst the most beautiful moments in all of music. I remember a time we were seriously skint and for some reason didn't get a Sage brochure. A 'friend' went through it on the phone and when he said McCoy Tyner Trio, my scepticism of piano trio won over and I decided against. At that time I wasn't much concerned with ticking boxes and wanted to have a good time at a gig. It was only later I found out it was plus a guest saxophone and I've only just found out it was Joe Lovano. Try to imagine my pain.

Friday, March 06, 2020 10:05:00 pm
brian ure said...

Thank you for posting the sad news of McCoy Tyner's passing. I'm listening to his "Passion Dance" album which I just had to dig out of my collection of LPs as I haven't played it for years.
I was at the City Hall concert of '61 and was alternately amazed and confused by some of the music heard that night. I remember well the extended My favourite things, the number of drumsticks broken by Elvin Jones, and McCoy Tyner's percussive playing. A long time ago and making more sense and clarity now than it did in my early years of jazz appreciation.

Sunday, March 22, 2020 3:36:00 pm

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