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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

Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30pm-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 22: Mississippi MacDonald @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm. Blues.
Sat 22: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Old Cinema Laundrette, Durham. 7:45pm. £16.50. SOLD OUT!
Sat 22: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

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.
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: 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.

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, November 30, 2020

Happiness and Heartbreak livestreamed from The Globe: - Nov. 29

Debra Milne (vocals); Stu Collingwood (keys); Steve Summers (soprano sax, tenor sax, shakers)

It Don't Mean A Thing … sang Debra, and it didn't, because the screen froze, music ceased, all dead for a few minutes, then all came alive again and the show continued in fine form. The performers are to be congratulated for not being thrown at all by the hazards of technology. Such is life, and all aspects of love and romantic life were then explored via the GASbook.

There Will Never Be Another You, skilfully piano-led, with a solo from Steve on curved soprano sax. An eastern-flavoured, suitably exotic, introduction to Caravan; God Bless The Child sung gently with suitably mournful tenor sax;  Too Darn Hot full of typical Cole Porter double entendres; Corcovado, touchingly dedicated by Debra to her husband (aaah!) who is working hard in medical circles.

Debra showed bravery in tackling the classic made famous by Nina Simone, My Baby Just Cares For Me, with its well known introduction and outro, ably played on keys by Stu. If there is such a thing as 'walking keys' (not walking bass) this is it, as the intro sounds to me as if the piano is walking along a street. You Don't Know What Love Is was sung with feeling and a notable tenor sax – the tone of the tenor is so, so good for expressing melancholy.

Lullaby Of Birdland displayed happy scat and an effective keys solo. After another couple of songs an encore was demanded by the chat, giving us Route 66, with skilled, lively, scatted lyrics, one of the best bits of scat that I've heard from Debra.

A good show from the trio, an audience of around 40 households, and meeting of friends in the chat column. A great way to spend an hour on Sunday evening in these difficult times. And of course excellent camera work and sound from the Globe volunteers.

Ann Alex

It Don't Mean A Thing; There Will Never Be Another You; Caravan; God Bless The Child; Too Darn Hot; Corcovado; Perdido; My Baby Just Cares For Me; You Don't Know What Love Is; Lullaby Of Birdland; Born To Be Blue; Temptation; Route 66

2 comments :

Debra said...

Thanks for your lovely review Anne! The scat at the end was based on Billie's Bounce - lyrics by Eddie Jefferson (and me)

Hugh said...

Nice bass too - very impressive, Stu, not only two hands on the keys, but feet on the pedals as well!

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