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Bebop Spoken There

Sullivan Fortner: ''I always judge it by the bass player: If the bass player is happy, it's going to be a good night". (DownBeat, February 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

17777 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 98 of them this year alone and, so far, 23 this month (Feb.8).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Sat 15: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 15: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 15: Elkie Brooks @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. ‘The Long Farewell Tour’.
Sat 15: Milne Glendinning Band @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 16: MOBO Song @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 12 noon. Free, performances on the concourse. Line-up inc. Jazz Attack (on stage time TBC) & Jambone (12:20pm).
Sun 16: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 16: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: BBC Introducing NE X MOBO Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Jambone, Knats, Rivkala, SwanNek.
Sun 16: The Shayo Experience @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 16: Gerry Richardson Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. .

Mon 17: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 17: Matt Forster Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance.
Mon 17: Russ Morgan Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law, Paul Grainger, John Hirst.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Jazz Milestones - 1975.
Thu 20: Renegade Brass Band @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 20: Orange Claw Hammer + Peony @ The Globe, Newcastle.7:30pm. Orange Claw Hammer play Captain Beefheart.
Thu 20: Jeremy McMurray & the Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Featuring special guest Zoë Gilby.

Fri 21: JazzMain @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 21: Joe Steels Trio @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £10.00. TBC.
Fri 21: Emma Rawicz w. Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

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

Wednesday, June 17, 2020

Preview: Steve Walker on Coastal Sound (Skegness community radio broadcasting to the world) - Wednesday

At eight o'clock tonight online radio station Coastal Sound presents Steve Walker's Big Band Bash. Trumpeter Steve has worked with just about everyone who is anyone in the music business. Now, in addition to performing and teaching, presenting the best in big band music has become a weekly (Wednesday evening) affair for the man originally from Middlesbrough.

Steve kindly emailed BSH details of the occasion when he took part in the BBC's National Big Band Competition. In 1985 Steve found himself playing in the trumpet section of the Durham Youth Jazz Orchestra. The material makes for fascinating reading. This was the era of Sheila Tracy hosting BBC Radio 2's big band broadcasts. Standing alongside Steve in the trumpet section was one Gordon Marshall. Whatever became of him? The answer: First call trumpet for Ray Chester's award-winning big band, the Customs House Big Band, the Strictly Smokin' Big Band, Gerry Richardson's Big Idea and a whole lot more! 

The saxophones included Peter 'Pepe' Greenaway and David (Dave) Black; in the 'bones, David Barnes (heard many a time with the Strictly Smokin') and the rhythm section boasted Stuart Haikney, a busy working drummer to this day, alongside Marcus Brown. Pianist Marcus went on to do it all...working with Madonna, Hollywood film scores, the lot, more recently taking on the job of adjudicator alongside Mick Donnelly at the annual Great North Big Band Jazz Festival. Clearly 1985 was a very good year for the  DYJO!

The Guildhall Jazz Band took part in '85. Pete Whyman on lead alto and the great Mornington Lockett on tenor in the saxophone gives an idea of the standard of the then young guns, now established figures on the scene. And in the trumpet section, Noel 'Loose Tubes' Langley! 

Imagine...tough competitive action, radio airplay, Sheila Tracy presiding, Bobby Lamb presenting the Marty Paich Trophy to Adrian Drover (trombone, Guildhall Jazz Band) and Iain Ballamy shaking hands with Henry Lowther as he picked up the John Dankworth Most Promising Musician Trophy award. Yes, fascinating reading, thanks to Steve for sharing the memories. Catch Steve's Big Band Bash tonight (8:00pm) at: www.coastalsound.co.uk.
Russell

2 comments :

Betty Brett (on F/b) said...

This was an amazing gig playing Baritone sax in DYJO. Thoroughly enjoyed the rehearsals and the recording of course. Also met up again briefly with a college friend Pete Murray who was playing keys with the the Guildhall big band.

Lance said...

I wonder if Steve is familiar with the work of the late Ken Rattenbury a trumpet player, pianist, composer and arranger who was born in Spilsby, Lincolnshire, and died in 2001.

He was one of best musicians in his chosen fields and yet is rarely remembered these days. Although not an out and out big band man I feel his name should not go unrecognised in Lincolnshire Jazz circles.

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