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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

18018 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 339 of them this year alone and, so far, 17 this month (May 7).

From This Moment On ...

MAY 2025

Thu 15: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: The Greatest in Jazz - Guitarists.
Thu 15: Pete Tanton & the Cuban Heels @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 15: New Ways of Moving in the Counterworlds @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). John Garner & John Pope.

Fri 16: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 16: Sophie Speed with the Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 16: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 16: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 16: Giles Strong Quartet @ Longframlington Memorial Hall. 7:00pm (doors). Tickets: £12.00. from 01665 570984.
Fri 16: Hot Club du Nord @ St Cuthbert’s Centre, Crook. 7:30pm. £10.00.
Fri 16: Peter Donegan & Anthony Donegan @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 7:30pm. ‘Lonnie Donegan - The Stories’.

Sat 17: Teresa Watson Band @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Blues.
Sat 17: The Society Quartet @ Hilton Garden Inn, Sunderland. 6:00pm. Tel: 0191 500 9494. £26.00 (inc. two course meal). Line-up: Jason Holcomb, Hannah Taylor, Alix Shepherd & Abbie Finn.
Sat 17: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 17: Archie Brown & the Young Bucks @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Rhythm & blues, Americana etc.
Sat 17: Rockin’ Turner Brothers @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Rockabilly, Western swing etc.

Sun 18: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 12 noon-2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 18: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 18: Ruth Lambert & Giles Strong @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 18: Steve Summers Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 19: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 19: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 20: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, Bailey Rudd.
Tue 20: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Pleased to Meet You, Bridge St., Morpeth NE61 1ND. 8:00pm.

Wed 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 21: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 21: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

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, April 16, 2020

Lee Konitz and Warne Marsh @ The Corner House, Whitley Bay - December 22, 1975

The sad death of Lee Konitz this week brought back memories of that immortal session at the Whitley Bay Corner House where the award winning alto saxophonist appeared with Warne Marsh and the Peter Ind Trio - Peter Ind (bass); Dave Cliff (guitar) and Al Levitt (drums).

Dave Weisser had a weekly session there with his Friends of Jazz group which, presumably, opened the doors for one of the most prestigious modern jazz gigs to have ever taken place in Whitley Bay.

Peter Bevan sent me the above photos and, although he is unsure of the source. I can confirm that they were, in fact, taken by Jack Goodwin, compiler of the definitive Warne Marsh discography and, at the time, a keen jazz photographer and the most knowledgeable authority on Warne Marsh on the planet and, by association, Lee Konitz. 

These pics have refreshed my memories of that wonderful December evening in 1975. Was it snowing? Was the moon as high as Charlie Carmichael and I as we rolled home? Who knows? Who cares? We were drunk with the music...
Lance

5 comments :

Stu Collingwood (on F/b) said...

I remember seeing Lee Konitz with the Bill Evans Trio at Ayresome park long ago.

Lance said...

Yup I was there too. Unfortunately I didn't bring my binoculars!
With such introvert players as Konitz and Evans you needed to hear them in a small club or concert hall not in the middle of a football pitch!

Stu Collingwood (on F/b) said...

I could hardly hear with the sound of the crowd, bloody Boro fans 😂

Anonymous said...

Yes that Whitley Bay concert was quite something. Never to be forgotten. It says a lot that Lee and Warne chose Dave Cliff doesn't it. I sometimes went to see Dave Weisser and Friends of Jazz at the venue. Dave was great leading that band and in typical unselfish fashion gave opportunities to other players. I think often Eric Gamblin played guitar but occasionally son Paul played and I remember a young Mark Wood too. And was it Joy Askew who sang with the band? I think it might have been Dave Murphy on bass. Great sessions and happy times.
Roly

George Milburn (on F/b) said...

Mine is a Band on the Wall, Manchester late 70’s, duo memory. I was at the front - what a beautiful performance - but who was the piano player he was touring with?

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