Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: ''It was then that Coltrane came along and single-handedly brought this dimension of spirituality into jazz. It was a pivotal experience to me.'' (DownBeat 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

18957 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 821 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Sept. 30.) 100.

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

October.

Mon 05: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 05: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Tue 06: Alan Law @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free. Alan Law (piano) w. Paul Grainger (double bass).
Tue 06: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Murray Oak, Paul Grainger, John Bradford.
Tue 06: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 06: Black is the Color of My Voice @ Northern Stage, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman stage play inspired by Nina Simone. First night of two.

Wed 07: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. Wed 07: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 07: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 07: Black is the Color of My Voice @ Northern Stage, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman stage play inspired by Nina Simone. Second night of two.

Thu 08: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 08: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free (donations).
Thu 08: Indigo Jazz Voices w. Little Big Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 09: Dean Stockdale Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. Dean Stockdale (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Fri 09: John Rowland Trio @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle.

Sat 10: Catfish Keith @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £19.00. + bf. Jumpin’ Hot Club.

Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free. Feat. guest Jack ‘Banjo’ Courtney (trumpet).
Sun 11: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Harry Christelis Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A Jazz Co-op-JNE co-promotion.

Thursday, June 11, 2020

Strictly Smokin' Livestream #3 - June 11

Alice Grace (vocals); Sue Ferris (alto/tenor/baritone/flute); Kieran Parnaby (trombone); Pawel Jedrzejewski (guitar).

On paper this was a gig to die for, online it was somewhat less. The music was great, the sound wasn't. Volume turned up to max for one player then quickly down to near minimum for the next. 

I don't know where the blame lies, I've read criticism of Zoom elsewhere although switching to YouTube wasn't a great improvement.

Nevertheless, having said all that, once I became adept at manipulating the volume controls (shouldn't there have been a sound engineer doing that?) the music was fine.


Kieran was the biggest casualty, after a splendid All of Me and a great start to Doxy, suddenly we weren't hearin' Kieran.

Alice needed the volume cranked up for her versions of Skylark; My Funny Valentine; There Will Never be Another You and Puttin' on the Ritz whilst PJ needed it turned down for Lush Life; Desafinado; Red Baron and the original tune he opened up with.

Sue got it just about right with Don't Get Around Much Any More (tenor); Time After Time (alto); South Side Samba (flute) and The Preacher (bari) although, even here, the mic didn't do justice to her tone on sax. Nevertheless, I thought Sue's flute take on Benny Carter's South Side Samba was the solo of the night!

Final session is in two weeks time which promises to be something special...
Lance.

1 comment :

Michael Lamb said...

Thanks Lance!

Alas, re sound, unless one has a super pro streaming gear, that's the nature of these things - everyone has a completely different set up at home with different types and quality of equipment... to get any sound at all is frankly a miracle!

Glad you enjoyed the music - I thought everyone played great! Hi-lights for me we're 'All of Me' from Kieran, 'Red Baron' from Pav, 'Southside Samba' from Sue and 'My Funny Valentine' from Alice.

Yes indeed, last one next week - hopefully we've done a bit to keep everyone a little entertained during lockdown... back to the gigs soon(ish?) with any luck.


M

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