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Bebop Spoken There

George Porter Jr.: ''To me, syncopation is like jazz. It wasn't meant for the masses. It was meant just for a hip few". (DownBeat, May 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

17985(and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 306 of them this year alone and, so far, 62 this month (April 26).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Wed 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 30: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 30: International Jazz Day @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £16.00.; £14.00. adv.. Feat. Guido Spannocchi, John Pope & Steve Hanley + Take it to the Bridge participants + SH#RP Collective with Lindsay Hannon - open rehearsal.

MAY 2025

Thu 01: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Member’s Contribution.
Thu 01: Alabaster de Plume @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Thu 01: Living in Shadows + OUTRI @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Thu 01: The Shayo Experiment @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Shayo Oshodi & Liam Oliver.
Thu 01: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free.

Fri 02: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 02: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 02: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 02: Anna Reay & Deon Krishnan @ STACK, Seaburn. 4:30-6:15pm. Free.
Fri 02: Nauta @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 7:00pm. £7.50. A ‘Nauta’s House’ gig featuring Nauta & guests Shayo Oshodi & David Gray.
Fri 02: Spilt Milk @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 02: Dom Pipkin @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Solo piano.
Fri 02: Abbie Finn Trio @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00. + bf.

Sat 03: Hot Fingers @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 03: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £25.00. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Summer Samba Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 03: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 03: Struggle Buggy @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Blues.
Sat 03: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 03: Postmodern Jukebox @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm.
Sat 03: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £3.00. + bf.
Sat 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 03: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:30pm. Free.

Sun 04: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 04: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 04: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 04: Spilt Milk @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:00-5:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 04: Rivkala @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 04: Boys of Brass @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free.
Sun 04: Ben Crosland Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 05: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 05: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 06: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Victoria & Albert Inn, Seaton Delaval. 12:30pm. £14.00. Tel: 0191 237 3697. ‘Victory in Europe Afternoon Tea’ (VE Day 80th anniversary).
Tue 06: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law, Paul Grainger, John Hirst.
Tue 06: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, North St., Ferryhill DL17 8HX. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 06: FILM: Whiplash @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. 8:15pm.

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

Saturday, March 14, 2020

Strictly Smokin' Big Band @ Flat Caps Café, Newcastle (Part Two) - March 13.

(Review by Lance).

Despite the absence of Jonokuchi and the Damoclesian sword of Covid-19 hovering above us, in true show business tradition it was decided the show must go on and it did although there were a few empty seats at this "sold out" gig.

The band were at the top of their game driven relentlessly along by super sub McKeague behind the kit on Big Swing Face. This is one of those numbers where you hit the ground running with no room for error. PJ, SS, DK and ML all socked it to us the sound reaching every corner of the small room.

Leader Lamb had promised surprises and the first one came in the form of a video link with NYC where Jonokuchi himself introduced the next number, his own arrangement of Red Top. Pete Tanton and Graham Don did the honours.

Next up was Alice looking super chic in a black and white ensemble. Four songs: I'm Gonna Lock my Heart; All of Me; Mean to Me and Oh What a Beautiful Morning. Oh what a beautiful evening this was turning out to be!

The set finished with Strasbourg St. Denis. At a SSBB gig if one is presumptuous enough to pick out a "solo of the night" it invariably goes to one of the horns - not so tonight. Tonight, Graham Don's piano solo on the aforementioned piece undoubtedly earned him the "Man of the Match" award. Tremendous! 

Time for a beer. Years ago there was a little pub, The Duke of Wellington, opposite tonight's venue. It's long gone but last night it would have been welcome. Instead, we had to make do with a 330ml can of a Beaver Brook brew that cost £4.40 which by my reckoning makes it over six quid a pint. Still, as Swedish beers go, it went. 

Back to the music and Alice - It's Almost Like Being in Love. It sure is. An instrumental - Catch as Catch Can - with more Graham Don and a sizzler from Jamie Toms on tenor. One of my all time faves is the Jon Hendricks number, Social Call and Alice did it justice. Likewise, You Turned the Tables on me despite the band being a tad overpowering behind the vocal.

McCoy Tyner was remembered with Walk Spirit, Talk Spirit followed by another surprise - a feature for Gordon Marshall. Gordon stepped into the shoes of SSBB's recent guest Mike Lovatt to blow an impressive The Nearness of You. First on flugel then on trumpet with an occasional glance at the stratosphere.

Time for another song but wait, I didn't know Alice played trumpet, hang on, this isn't Alice, it's Pete Tanton - on a high after a successful Riviera Quartet gig at the Lit &  Phil earlier in the day - he brought Chet Baker to life with a dash of Tormé and Sinatra thrown in for good measure on I Get a Kick out of You.

To finish, Alice sang The One I Love Belongs to Somebody Else - don't they always?!

A splendid evening that allowed me just enough time to pop into a Wetherspoons' pub for a pint of Doom Bar (£1.99).
Lance

Michael Lamb MD, Pete Tanton, Gordon Marshall, Dick Stacey (trumpets); Mark Ferris, Kieran Parnaby, Chris Kurgi-Smith, John Flood (trombones), Jamie Toms, Dave Kerridge, Keith Robinson, Steve Summers, Laurie Rangecroft (reeds); Pawel Jedrzejewski (guitar); Graham Don (piano); Michael Whent (bass guitar); Dave McKeague (drums); Alice Grace/Pete Tanton (vocals).

1 comment :

Graham Don said...

Many Thanks for the glowing review Lance. It’s a great piece to play.and I thought I would put my own spin on it this time. Very much appreciate your comments. Graham Don

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