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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

17719 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 39 of them this year alone and, so far, 39 this month (Jan. 15).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Sun 19: Glenn Miller Orchestra UK @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 3:00pm. ‘Glenn Miller & the Rat Pack Era’.
Sun 19: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 19: Spilt Milk @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 5:15-7:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 19: Tenement Jazz Band @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 19: Nick Ross Orchestra @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm.
Sun 19: Freight Train (Tobin/Noble/Clarvis) @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 19: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 20: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 21: ???

Wed 22: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 22: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 22: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 22: Pasadena Roof Orchestra @ Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm.

Thu 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free. Fortnightly.
Thu 23: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Obituaries 2024.
Thu 23: Jason Isaacs @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:30-6:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Thu 23: Pedal Point Trio @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 24: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm.
Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Creakin’ Bones & the Sunday Dinners @ Lindisfarne Social Club, Wallsend. 9:00pm. Admission: TBC. Jazz, blues , jump jive, rock ‘n’ roll.

Sat 25: Boys of Brass @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:30-5:30pm. Free.
Sat 25: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 25: Jack & Jay’s Songbook @ 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 19, 2020

The Plague

(By Lance)

This dreadful situation that we're in - apart from the loss of income to just about everyone involved in music and the arts in general - has opened up a scenario far beyond what was envisaged when the internet first crept into our lives.

Clubs, bars, theatres, festivals are closing with the chances being that some of the smaller venues may never open again. I'm not going to offer suggestions as to how this can be tackled. Obviously (hopefully?) the NHS will be given the resources that this, and previous governments, should have given - an argument to be debated outside of this apolitical site - but, will there be support further on down the line in other fields? Music, grass-level sport, theatre, the support chain, are going to need assistance. The Premier League will survive and, no doubt the Royal Opera House, probably Ronnie Scott's. Will your non-league team, your amateur dramatic group, your local jazz club? 

Apart from all that, the thing that's crossing my mind is how, suddenly, the work from home ethic has taken hold. I'm not sure that it works with, say bus drivers or traffic wardens but, jazzers seem to be catching on to the idea.

Since the pandemic hit the UK, just about all gigs have gone to the wall which means that, for musicians, the baby ain't gonna get new shoes.

However, thanks to YouTube, Skype and the other means of mass communication, you can now experience the gig, or receive one to one tuition, whilst sitting at home. What could be finer than sitting at home with a can, a coffee or a pizza whilst listening to someone you'd have had to bus/drive/taxi to hear ten or more miles away?

Or, if you're someone seeking instruction, you can do it in your own front/bedroom rather than fight the elements getting to an educational establishment.

So maybe Cofid-19 will teach us something and that is to, a) wash your hands after picking your nose or your guitar and, b) that music is so much more when shared in the back room of a pub rather than in the infinitesimal concert hall of cyberspace but, in the meantime, there's always someone online...

Let us hope that, after this pestilence that is upon us passes, we will still have gigs to go to.
Amen.
Lance

1 comment :

NeilC said...

Thanks for your thoughts Lance. I have seen certain musicians already posting solo work as a replacement for playing a gig Chris Martin of Coldplay et al . IF the gigs are not solely played live but left for posterity on You Tube then perhaps we and yourself could provide some insight into any interesting incidences of these musical events as they appear on hear so others who read the blog can also have the opportunity to watch . The blog will still be providing a gig guide but it will be advertising interactive musical events rather than those we would normally attend

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