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Bebop Spoken There

Trevor Mires: ''My mum is a Dean Martin fan: I'm not, so I would grab my skateboard and get out of the house whenever I heard "Everybody Loves Somebody, Sometime." ". (Jazzwise, April 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.

Sun 27: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 27: Andrea Vicari Trio @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. Vicari (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Sun 27: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 27: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Xenopoulos, Edis, Paul Susans, Russ Morgan.
Sun 27: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 27: JustKing Jones @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £17.50. JustKing Jones (alto sax, soprano sax); Jordan Williams (piano); Jason Clotter (bass); Malcolm Charles (drums). Ace NYC outfit!
Sun 27: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 27: Swing Manouche @ Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7:30pm. £15.00. Tickets from 01665 711388.
Sun 27: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Xenopoulos, Edis, Ken Marley, Russ Morgan.

Mon 28: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 29: ???

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 + Open Mic Night participants.

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.

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

Friday, May 29, 2020

Strictly Smokin' Livestream #2 - May 28

Michael Lamb (trumpet/flugelhorn); Keith Robinson (alto/soprano sax); Steve Summers (tenor/soprano sax); Paul Donnelly (guitar).

A second opportunity to see another four ace players from the Strictly Smokin' Big Band's stable of stars strutting their stuff, with varied degrees of success, at great length - some might say at very great length.

As the band's number one fan, I can be forgiven for describing this as the proverbial curate's egg.

Good in parts? - I hear you say - well let's have the good parts...


There were many of them: Keith Robinson's alto, and later soprano, blew effortlessly over his pre-recorded backing trio on: Up Jumped Spring; The Shadow of Your Smile; I'm Old Fashioned; Recorda Me & Bob Marley's Redemption Song with Paul Donnelly providing the recorded backing behind Keith's soprano sax on the latter number. 

Michael Lamb, the Great Day in Harlem poster prominently displayed behind him (no social distancing back then), switched 'twixt flugel and trumpet on Days of Wine & Roses (fl); Bernie's Tune (tp); Nature Boy (fl) & Secret Love (tp). This latter tune, played tightly muted and fast was Michael's Mona Lisa and much more worthy of  being hung in The Louvre than his multi-tracked Nature Boy, cleverly done as it was. The theme tonight seemed to be that you gotta have a gimmick!

Steve Summers wasn't gimmick free either. He played Dindi (appropriately pronounced dingy) with some backing from Mick Wright on guitar as well as some crows from Chopwell Woods. An original by the good doctor saw him blowing tenor over a pre-recorded sax quartet. He also managed to merge himself playing Laura with himself playing A Night in Tunisia. His final number was The Theme From Doctor Who - as a blues.

I watched one episode of Doctor Who back when the title character was played by Tom somebody or other and I decided Coronation Street was more to my taste so I can't really comment apart from saying that Steve blew the bluesiest version of the theme that I've ever heard.

Which brings in Paul Donnelly. Paul isn't a regular SSBB man but he helps them out from time to time and he is one very fine guitar player. Tonight however, he appeared to have pre-recorded his contribution and, at times, fingers and frets didn't always seem to be in cordination with what was going on!

Paul played: Jumping (Jumpin'?); A Fly; 'Round Midnight & Single Handed.

It was a good set that would have been better compressed into an hour max and, even better still, without the jiggery-pokery - just good honest blowing. It worked last time round!
Lance.
PS: Just my views, I know other members of the BSH team were  impressed by the multi-tracking as indeed were the many who commentated.

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