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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 ...

April 2025.

Tue 08: ???

Wed 09: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 09: Tannery jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm.
Wed 09: Anatole Muster Trio @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £17.50., £12.50. concs.
Wed 09: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED?

Thu 10: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.CANCELLED!
Thu 10: Magpies of Swing @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £7.00. A Globe fundraiser (all proceeds to the venue).
Thu 10: Exhaust: Camila Nebbia/Kit Downes/Andrew Lisle @ Jesmond URC, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:30pm doors). £13.20., £11.00. JNE.
Thu 10: Jeremy McMurray & the Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Feat. guests Ray Dales & Jackie Summers.

Fri 11: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 11: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 11: John Rowland Trio: The Music of Ben Webster @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Rowland (tenor sax); Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass).
Fri 11: Imelda May @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 11: Shunyata Improvisation Group @ Cullercoats Watch House. 7:30-9:00pm. Free (donations).

Sat 12: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 12: Rob Heron & the Tea Pad Orchestra + House of the Black Gardenia + King Bees @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 6:30pm (doors). £18.00.
Sat 12: Bright Street Big Band @ Washington Arts Centre. 6:30pm. £12.00. Event includes swing dance taster session, DJ dance session. Bright Street Big Band on stage 7:30-8:15pm & 8:45-9:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Sat 12: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 12: Imelda May @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £42.20. SOLD OUT!
Sat 12: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 13: Daniel John Martin with Swing Manouche @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 13: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 13: Hejira: A Celebration of Joni Mitchell @ Wylam Brewery, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £22.50.
Sun 13: Wilkinson/Edwards/Noble + Chojnacki @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £13.20., £11.00. JNE.

Mon 14: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 14: Zoë Gilby Quintet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

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, September 06, 2020

Jordon Alfonso w. The Alan Law Trio: Live Stream @ The Globe, Newcastle - Sept. 6

Jordan Alfonso (alto); Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (bass); Rob Walker (drums).

A tribute to Charlie Parker - four fine musicians putting their own take on Bird's music - made for an enjoyable 75 minutes.

No surprises in the repertoire, how could there be? The music is well known to most jazz fans although, spotting Jordan's tenor lying in waiting I thought maybe Half Nelson, one of the few numbers Parker recorded on the larger horn, may have been on the menu. It remained untouched. 

Yardbird Suite got things rolling along laying down the benchmark for a set that just seemed to get better and better as the players began to gel after their long layoff. Confirmation, Night in Tunisia and then Parker's Mood. Alan Law had been doing his job perfectly up to this point but here he improved upon perfection (if that is possible!) and played as sensitive a solo as anything I've heard from him. Not to be out done Jordan also peaked.

Paul Grainger had already put in a half shift down at the coast with the Vieux Carré Hot4 during the afternoon so it was no surprise when Jordan referred to him as "The ubiquitous Paul Grainger". Perhaps he'd pickled his fingers in brine as he showed no ill effects from his earlier stint.

Rob Walker came to the fore in Blues For Alice with a tasteful drum solo and Jordan wailed like as though he was blowing in a Kansas City late night joint. And this was the one thing that was missing - the crowd, the ambiance of an audience whooping and hollering, clapping, ordering drinks, enjoying themselves. Well, many of us were doing just that at home but the band, they don't know that!

Anthropology stomped off, not too fast, just fast enough for it to make sense. My Little Suede Shoes, with its infectious melody and Latin groove, is one of those tunes that stick in your mind - I'll be still humming it this time next week even though the number that followed - Donna Lee - was my overall favourite. Everyone hit their stride and it wasn't over yet!

Now's The Time had that honour.

Bravo Jordan, Alan, Paul and Rob and, of course, the Jazz Coop for their initiative in remembering one of jazz's greatest icons. 

I want to hear this band again live live so I can share my enthusiasm with others there and then but, who knows where or when?
Lance

1 comment :

Jordan Alfonso said...

Thanks for the kind words! The tenor was indeed intended for Half Nelson but time got the better of us unfortunately. Parker didn't play tenor very much aside from a few recordings with Miles Davis!

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