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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

17805 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 126 of them this year alone and, so far, 51 this month (Feb.16).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Sun 23: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 23: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Mark Williams Trio @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 23: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 23: Mississippi MacDonald @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. Blues.
Sun 23: Mu Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. CANCELLED!
Sun 23: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 24: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 24: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 25: ?

Wed 26: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 26: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 26: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 27: Jamie McCredie @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Fri 28: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. THIS WEEK ONLY JAMES BIRKETT (guitar)!
Fri 28: Luis Verde Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 28: Spilt Milk @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £8.00.
Fri 28: Knats @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £11.50. (inc bf.). Album launch gig. Support act TBC.
Fri 28: Black is the Color of My Voice @ The Gala, Durham. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman show inspired by the life of Nina Simone, performed by Florence Odumosu.
Fri 28: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival: Musicians Unlimited @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 8:00pm. £10.00. (Weekend ticket £20.00., available on the door). Day 1/3. Musicians Unlimited in concert.
Fri 28: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

MARCH 2025

Sat 01: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 11:00am. £15.00. Day 2/3.
Sat 01: TJ Johnson Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 01: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £25.00. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Get your funk on! Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 01: Shunyata Improvisation Group @ The Watch House, Cullercoats. 2:00-3:30pm. Free.
Sat 01: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers. Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Struggle Buggy @ The Peacock, Sunderland. 6:00pm. Blues band.
Sat 01: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 01: Jack & Jay’s Vintage Songbook @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

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

Sunday, August 30, 2020

Dean Stockdale Trio @ St James' & St Basil's - August 30

Dean Stockdale (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Russ Morgan (drums)

Another in St James' and St Basil's regular Sunday afternoon concert series, today featuring the Dean Stockdale Trio. Against expectations the sun shone. The forecast suggested a maximum temperature of 14° but on the day it was comfortably above that figure. The spacious church grounds in Fenham, Newcastle, were well populated with socially distanced supporters there to enjoy a swinging set of jazz.

Mingus' Nostalgia in Times Square opened the programme. The number can be found on pianist Dean Stockdale's Origin album from 2016 and it was good to hear it performed once more in a live setting. Rodgers and Hart's My Romance illustrated Stockdale's invention, playing chorus after chorus with bassist Mick Shoulder and drummer Russ Morgan cruising alongside.


Russ Morgan quickly established himself as one of the region's first call drummers when he relocated to Tyneside some five years ago and On the Sunny Side of the Street demonstrated that he has the art of playing brushes down to a tee. This was exemplary musicianship. Another cut from the Origin album titled Another Time confirmed Stockdale as a composer of note; lyrical, melodic, measured. As the sun shone the trio closed a fine first set with They Can't Take That Away From Me. An image of Fred Astaire singing and dancing came to mind.

The interval allowed time for a catch up with numerous other jazz fans who've been out of circulation for some time.  The consensus...it was great to be back!
In a Sentimental Mood resumed affairs. Classic Duke, you can't go wrong. More Rodgers and Hart with, perhaps, the tune of the day - Have You Met Miss Jones? Stockdale is a big fan of Oscar Peterson (our man from Darlington reminded us that the late, great Canadian would have turned 95 on the 15th of this month) and the 1937 standard swung like Peterson's trios always did.  This was great stuff which included Morgan's mini masterclass in hand drumming plus a spotlight solo for good measure with bassist Mick Shoulder alongside who was, as ever, right on the money. And talking of OP, Hymn for Freedom from the much-loved Night Train album hit home with Stockdale saying something like It is a song for our times

Two more to close a sunny Sunday afternoon, Billie's Bounce to commemorate yesterday's 100th anniversary of the birth of Charlie Parker with Stockdale quoting Now's the Time and an unusual, but effective, choice, the late Ennio Morricone's Love Theme from 1988's Cinema Paradiso. It had been a most enjoyable afternoon and with autumn just around the corner (the Met Office considers September 1 to be the first day of autumn) perhaps it's time to look to indoor performance here at St James' and St Basil's and at the many other venues across the region with the proviso all events are Covid-secure. Yesterday's salute to Charlie Parker was BIRD LIVES! Today, tomorrow and for ever more it's JAZZ LIVES!    
Russell 

2 comments :

Roly said...

Absolute class.

Brian Shine said...

What a marvellous turnout, my first jazz outing since the lockdown, great to catch up with the regular jazzers and what a pleasure it was to listen to Dean Stockdale's trio, lets hope for many more jazz gigs indoors.

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