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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, 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

17923 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 244 of them this year alone and, so far, 91 this month (March 31).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Wed 02: Lauren Bush: The Jazz Singer’s Toolkit @ The Pele, Corbridge. 1:00-4:00pm. Vocalist Lauren Bush with pianist Jamil Sheriff presents a jazz singing workshop. £40.00. (inc. evening concert, see below). Registration required for workshop: www.laurenbushjazz.com. All ability levels welcome.
Wed 02: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 02: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 2:30-4:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Wed 02: Lauren Bush & Jamil Sheriff @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00-9:00pm. £10.00. Concert performance. Tickets: www.laurenbushjazz.com.
Wed 02: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 02: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE! See website for updates: www.theglobenewcastle.bar.

Thu 03: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Women in Jazz.
Thu 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 03: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. A Tees Hot Club promotion. First Thursday in the month.

Fri 04: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 04: Ruth Lambert Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Fri 04: Tom McGuire & the Brassholes @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00.
Fri 04: Nicolas Meier’s Infinity Group + Spirit of Jeff Beck @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm.

Sat 05: Tenement Jazz Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 05: Sleep Suppressor @ Head of Steam, Newcastle. 5:30-6:00pm.
Sat 05: King Bees @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Raymond MacDonald & Jer Reid @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 6:00-9:30pm. £7.72., £1.00. (minimum donation). MacDonald & Reid + Objections + Yotuns.
Sat 05: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Kamasi Washington @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £33.00.
Sat 05: Vermont Big Band @ The Seahorse, Whitley Bay. 7:30pm. Tickets: £10.00 (from the venue).
Sat 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 06: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 06: Learning & Participation Showcase @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm (1:00pm doors). Free. Featuring participants from Play More Jazz! Play More Folk! Blue Jam Singers & more.
Sun 06: Joe Steels Group @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Ferg Kilsby, Joe Steels, Ben Lawrence, Paul Susans, John Hirst.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Hooch, Quayside, Newcastle. 6:00pm.
Sun 06: Leeway @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 07: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 08: ???

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

Monday, July 13, 2020

Globe Livestream: Zoë Gilby Quartet – July 12

Zoë Gilby  (voice); Mark Williams (guitar); Andy Champion (bass); Russ Morgan (drums)

Zoë said it was great to be doing a live gig again and she meant it. This was a stellar performance, much appreciated judging by the comments made by the 39 or so households who were attending. I'd forgotten how good this quartet is, well together and with superb solos all round. And we have friendly chat from Zoë, and some songs with her own lyrics, which are impressive and interesting.

In fact the 2 songs I enjoyed the most had lyrics by Zoë. Red Headed Girl From The North East was a beautiful, moving tribute to Zoë's mother, who enjoyed life in London before settling down. Angela, set to a Tom Harrell tune, concerned a very seductive woman, which gave Zoë the chance to show the full range of her voice in a long, intense, wordless coda, which was quite eerie at times.

This was quickly and wisely followed by a regular jazz standard, You Turned the Tables On Me. Then came April Mist, a Harrell tune with Zoë lyrics, all about making the most of life in Springtime, with a fine solo from Mark which wasn't just for show but fitted the song; a good bass solo and then 4s from drum and bass.

Caravan featured Russ, firstly drums with a good 'clanky' sound, then very 'busy' with continuous light drums and cymbals, morphing into a drum solo with hands, sticks, cymbals. It's easy to overlook bass players, whose job is to be dependable, but Andy shone during his solos as well. The other songs played were: Leap to the Limelight (about a dancer); Midnight Bell (based on a novel concerning a London pub); In Walked Bud; Your Words (sad love song); and finally a blues, Centrepiece.

I look forward to many more of these livestream gigs. There were some problems with jerkiness on the video which was a bit out of sync. I wasn't too troubled by this as the sound is the most important thing and besides, I was busy admiring Zoë's lovely blue dress, made up of many small layers, delightful. Oh, and the men sported beards, a sign of Corvid times.
Ann Alex

4 comments :

Lance said...

Ann! You go into glowing details about the dress but don't attach a photo!

Ann Alex said...

Sorry about that Blogmaster but I was leaving the photos up to you which is irresponsible of me. I'm not sure about my technical abilities to do this but I'll try next time! Promise!

Lance said...

Photo now added from Facebook. The girl and the dress are as stunning as you have described them.

For future reference Ann, What you do is point your phone (mobile) at the screen, go into camera mode, then click.

Ann Alexander said...

Blogmaster, you make it sound so simple but these things often don't come out right for me!

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