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Bebop Spoken There

George Porter Jr.: ''To me, syncopation is like jazz. It wasn't meant for the masses. It was meant just for a hip few". (DownBeat, May 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

18018 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 339 of them this year alone and, so far, 17 this month (May 7).

From This Moment On ...

MAY 2025

Thu 15: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: The Greatest in Jazz - Guitarists.
Thu 15: Pete Tanton & the Cuban Heels @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 15: New Ways of Moving in the Counterworlds @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). John Garner & John Pope.

Fri 16: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 16: Sophie Speed with the Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 16: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 16: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 16: Giles Strong Quartet @ Longframlington Memorial Hall. 7:00pm (doors). Tickets: £12.00. from 01665 570984.
Fri 16: Hot Club du Nord @ St Cuthbert’s Centre, Crook. 7:30pm. £10.00.
Fri 16: Peter Donegan & Anthony Donegan @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 7:30pm. ‘Lonnie Donegan - The Stories’.

Sat 17: Teresa Watson Band @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Blues.
Sat 17: The Society Quartet @ Hilton Garden Inn, Sunderland. 6:00pm. Tel: 0191 500 9494. £26.00 (inc. two course meal). Line-up: Jason Holcomb, Hannah Taylor, Alix Shepherd & Abbie Finn.
Sat 17: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 17: Archie Brown & the Young Bucks @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Rhythm & blues, Americana etc.
Sat 17: Rockin’ Turner Brothers @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Rockabilly, Western swing etc.

Sun 18: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 12 noon-2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 18: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 18: Ruth Lambert & Giles Strong @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 18: Steve Summers Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 19: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 19: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 20: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, Bailey Rudd.
Tue 20: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Pleased to Meet You, Bridge St., Morpeth NE61 1ND. 8:00pm.

Wed 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 21: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 21: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

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

Wednesday, January 20, 2021

Album review: Sam Newbould Quintet - Bogus Notus

Sam Newbould (alto sax/compositions); Bernard van Rossum (tenor sax); Youngwoo Lee (piano); Daniel Nagel (bass); Guy Salamon (drums/perc) + Beth Aggett (voice); Ian Cleaver (trumpet); Billy Marrows (guitar); Frederico Calcagno (bass clarinet).

Back in the good old days (pre-2020) apart from the regular big bands with their relatively stable, and often interchangeable, personnel there was also the university based bands with their yearly turnover of musicians who came up through the ranks and then graduated. Frequently, not to pursue a career in music, but to become rising stars in the city. Doctors lawyers, architects or arch-villains. Their musical achievements put on the back-burner maybe never to be rekindled.

Fortunately, Sam Newbould, a former member of the award winning Durham University Big Band (Great North Big Band Jazz Festival 2012) stayed with the music and eventually relocated to Amsterdam where he has just released his second album of original music.

In the main it's a deep and dark rather profound album reminiscent of some of Charles Mingus' work. Rich, often discordant, harmonies combine to make this compulsive listening.

Newbould's alto playing  bursts from the ensembles shining like a beacon in the darkness. Likewise van Rossum too has moments that stay with you, his tenor offering contrast to the leader's alto.

The rhythm section hold it all together with Salaman's drums providing volatile support.

Song For Annie is a folksy kind of piece with Beth Aggett singing a love lyric to, I presume, her child. Guitarist Marrows provides sympathetic accompaniment.

Another guest is Dutch trumpet player Ian Cleaver. Cleaver was at the 2017 GIJF taking part in a concert billed as Three Nations One Groove. This featured youth bands from Britain, Germany and Holland culminating in a 75 strong finale. He solos at length on the title track as well as on a single from the album - Concrete Caterpillar.

Newbould comments that the inspiration for each piece was based around his memories of growing up in the Yorkshire Dales although I'm not quite sure where the final track - Superfast Fibre Optic Broadband - which features bass clarinetist Calcagno, fits into the rural landscape.


Lance

Release date March 5.

Left Side of the Cove; Concrete Caterpillar; Do it Yourself; Bogus Notus; Carried to the Common; Right Side of the Cove; Song For Annie; Superfast Fibre Optic Broadband

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