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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, October 04, 2020

Adrian Cox's Sunday Service: The Music of Omer Simeon - Oct. 4

Adrian Cox (clarinet, vocals); Simon Picton (banjo, guitar)

Live streaming once again from Toulouse Lautrec, this week in the company of Simon Picton, Adrian Cox chose as his subject the great Omer Simeon. The focus upon Simeon's Clarinet à la Creole album, our duo played the music largely in track order with the occasional departure alongside one number not on the vinyl recording - an album Cox is hoping to acquire, if someone is prepared to sell!

A twelve-bar streak ran through this afternoon's set with Picton playing either unamplified banjo or guitar as Cox projected into Toulouse Lautrec's empty room, both clarinet and vocals. Grande Boubousse opened the show (a lá Simeon's album) with Picton on banjo. Seemingly Cox was live streaming using little more than his phone. If it's this easy, once the pandemic is over expect any number of musicians/venues to charge admission on the door and accrue additional income from a worldwide online, paying audience.   

Qua-ti Rhythm (Picton, guitar), Lagniappe (Picton, banjo), our relaxed duo respected Simeon's succession of mid-tempo numbers with, perhaps, today's set-closer - and Simeon's album closing number - promising an uptempo finish. A first vocal of the afternoon heard Cox singing St James' Infirmary Blues (Picton, guitar). Not only is Cox a brilliant clarinetist, the man sings the material as well as, if not better, than anyone. 

Lorenzo's Dream isn't on the album, however, Cox fancied playing it. Simeon wrote the number by way of tribute to his clarinet teacher, Lorenzo Tio Jr. In New Orleans back in the day the Tios, Sr. and Jr. were the go-to clarinet teachers. The lineage is there, continuing to this day, Adrian Cox being a prime example. Thus far Cox and Picton had omitted Qua-ti Blues (the third track on Simeon's recording). Time to play it with Picton once again on guitar. Frankie and Johnny presented Cox with another opportunity to sing a number to an imagined audience before him. Of course there was an audience, topping three figures, out there in the weird, wonderful (?), virtual world. 

Time to go. Aunt Hagar's Blues followed by the outer (as predicted, an uptempo selection), Bill Bailey, Won't You Please Come Home? It had been another terrific Sunday Service. Next week Adrian Cox won't be in the pulpit as he has other commitments, however, the following week (October 18) he'll be back, alongside pianist Joe Webb. Put it in the diary, two weeks today at one o'clock.
Russell

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