Bebop Spoken There

Ron Carter quoting Sonny Rollins: ''What we call jazz - that's keeping the world in equilibrium. I don't care what kind of music you like out here today. It all comes from jazz.'' (DownBeat August, 2026)

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

18818 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 682 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 20) 51.

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

From This Moment On

August

Tue 25: Michael Young Trio @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 26: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ 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: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 27: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 27: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Thu 27: 58 Jazz Collective @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Stranton, Hartlepool. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 27: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00.

Fri 28: Graham Hardy Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 28: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 28: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 28: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.

Sat 29: Brian Jackson @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 8:30pm (doors). £32.00.

Sun 30: Musicians Unlimited @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: Tango Jazz Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 31: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Sunday, December 06, 2020

Fergus McCreadie Trio live streaming from the Jazz Capital of the Globe - Dec. 6

Fergus McCreadie (piano); David Bowden (bass); Steve Henderson (drums).

(Photo by Debra Milne)

Such is the nature of jazz that, from its origins in New Orleans, it spread to Chicago, New York and,  inevitably, Europe, the UK and the rest of the world. The subdivisions formed, British and American jazz  began developing their own separate identities to the stage where, today, those subdivisions are forming even in the UK.

Tonight, on the eve of Brexit, those artistic divides were well and truly demonstrated - the devolution of jazz is here.

The McCreadie Trio are the perfect example of this. Fergus' compositions and his approach have brilliantly interwoven Scottish folklore into English/American/Nordic jazz and created a new language - Jazz Esperanto?

As regards the actual gig, as ever, the conditions at The Globe were perfect (we'll not mention last week!) The Yamaha piano had been lovingly transported downstairs and the sound was great. The visuals were perfect and the actual music itself was a masterpiece in the development of a theme which was, in this case (although not exclusively), the trio's new album Cairn - available at the back end of January 2021.

I struggled for a while, it was so low key that I made a cup of coffee and when I returned the bass player was still playing the same note - Guinness Book of Records?

However, 45 minutes in it all exploded! This was it! This was what I'd been waiting for and it put into perspective the build up that had preceded. 

Once they'd hit this level, the previous somnambulistic moments made sense and when I  play it again I'll be wide awake!

Lance.

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