Bebop Spoken There

Gary Bartz: ''Music is nature's gift to man. It's the only religion. We're living in a terrible era, but what a beautiful thing music is. Look how it brings us together like religion is supposed to; and with no language barriers.'' (Jazzwise September, 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

18897 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 761 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Sept. 11.) 40.

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

September.

Tue 15: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Ben Lawrence, Paul Grainger, Bailey Rudd.

Wed 16: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 16: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 16: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 17: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 17: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 17: Front Porch Blues @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 17: Miles 100 @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £7.00. Jack Courtney (trumpet); Sue Ferris (tenor sax); Tom Atkinson (guitar); Alan Law (piano); Deon Krishnan (bass); Jeff Armstrong (drums). A night of Miles Davis.
Thu 17: Amphitrio @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £7.00. Andrei Petrache (piano); Mike Alex (double bass); Philip Goron (drums).

Fri 18: Danny Lownes’ Hot Club @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 18: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 18: Mark Williams Trio @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.
Fri 18: Emma Fisk’s Hot Club du Nord @ St Cuthbert’s Centre, Crook. 7:30pm. £10.00., £5.00. student.
Fri 18: Rivkala + Beccy Sloan @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £10.00.

Sat 19: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal. All welcome.
Sat 19: Sing Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00-5:00pm. £27.50. Tutor: Alexia Gardner: Nina Simone. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 19: Ray Stubbs’ R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free.

Sat 19: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal. All welcome.

Sun 20: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 20: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 20: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.

Mon 21: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 21: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. Coltrane centenary.

Friday, April 10, 2020

Xhosa Cole Quintet @ Birmingham Town Hall & Symphony Hall (online) - April 10

Xhosa Cole (tenor sax); Francis Tulip (guitar); Will Markham (piano); James Owston (bass); Nathan England Jones (drums).
(Review by Lance).

Close your eyes and you could be excused for thinking that this was tonight's Blue Note album. The players could easily have been signed up by Francis Wolff and Alfred Lyon in fact, after noting their repertoire, they more than likely would have thought that they already had. Tunes written by, or associated with, Monk, Henderson, Dameron, Rollins and Mobley would have done nothing to dispel that idea until, after closer listening they'd have realised that this wasn't West 47th St., in NYC but somewhere in the UK. Not so much hard bop as Brum Bop.

All 5 of these young men honed their craft at Birmingham Conservatoire with Cole picking up the BBC Young Jazz Musician of the Year gong in 2018 which is the equivalent of winning the Rising Star category in the DownBeat Critic's Poll which, on this showing is more than mere fantasy.

Originally, this gig was lined up as one of Jazzlines' free gigs at Birmingham Town Hall & Symphony Hall but, circumstances decreed that it would be risky to allow an audience in - they may have broken their wrists clapping - so rather than face an empty auditorium the band played with their backs to the missing audience. This could have been, a) to minimise the the inevitable echo in such a cavernous empty space or b) to cultivate a Miles Davis persona of indifference. 

Whatever, it worked well and, keeping 2 metres apart, they gave us 35 minutes of solid sending (I know all the latest jive talk!).

No need to praise Cole, his pedigree speaks for itself and Tulip, being a native of Co. Durham, is well known for his work with various northeast bands - we have raved over him since he emerged from Jambone at Sage Gateshead.  The other three may not be as well known in the northeast but they are of similar calibre.

The only complaint I have is that 35 minutes wasn't long enough to enable them to stretch out further. Still, let's hope that when this is all over we get a further chance to hear them live or on record.

Impressed,
Lance
I Mean You; Recorda Me; On a Misty Night; Doxy; Remember.
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