Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: ''It was then that Coltrane came along and single-handedly brought this dimension of spirituality into jazz. It was a pivotal experience to me.'' (DownBeat September, 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

18957 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 821 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Sept. 30.) 100.

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

October.

Thu 08: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 08: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free (donations).
Thu 08: Indigo Jazz Voices w. Little Big Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 09: Dean Stockdale Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. Dean Stockdale (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Fri 09: John Rowland Trio @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle.

Sat 10: Catfish Keith @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £19.00. + bf. Jumpin’ Hot Club.

Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free. Feat. guest Jack ‘Banjo’ Courtney (trumpet).
Sun 11: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Harry Christelis Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A Jazz Co-op-JNE co-promotion.

Mon 12: Jack Pearce Quintet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 12: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 13: Alan Law @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free. Alan Law (piano) w. Julija Jacenaite (vocals).

Wed 14: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 14: Jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 14: NW FRQNC @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £15.00. Selina Albright, Gianni Vancini.
Wed 14: Jacob Egglestone Trio @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.

Wednesday, January 20, 2021

Kansas Smitty's play Hoodoo Man Blues and more - Jan. 20

Jalen N'Gonda (guitar, piano, vocals); Dave Archer (guitar); Will Sach (double bass); Jas Kayser (drums)  

(Screenshots by Ken Drew)

What a turn up for the books...Jalen N'Gonda singing and playing guitar and piano, no harmonica! Snatch it back and hold it, yes, this was Junior Wells, followed by Ships on the Ocean, the opening two tracks from Junior Wells' album Hoodoo Man Blues. Fabulous vocals, decent rhythm guitar, JN leaving the lead stuff to Buddy Guy, sorry, Dave Archer. 

The material wasn't all from Wells' 1965 Delmark album, although tonight's band (Will Sach, five string bass guitar, Jas Kayser, drums) did play the title track, Hoodoo Man Blues, N'Gonda simply had to play it! Main man N'Gonda playing guitar came as a surprise, but not half as much as piano. Yes, our man rattled the 88s on How Long Blues (memories of Jimmy Witherspoon singing the number at Newcastle's Corner House Hotel), one sensed a good vibe going on; Dave Archer the ace guitarist in the house, Sach and Kayser somewhere between London and Chicago. 

N'Gonda and co playing the blues deviated from the usual top notch jazz fayre, but Kansas Smitty's was none the worse for it. Hesitation Blues and a 'couldn't-put-a-name-to-it' boogie shuffle concluded an excellent, but all-too-brief, three quarters of an hour. Tomorrow (Thursday) at eight, it's Paul Desmond and Gerry Mulligan (Rachael Cohen and Alex Garnett).  
Russell  
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1 comment :

Ken_D said...

Someone's got a good memory ! https://www.flickr.com/photos/151505736@N05/50272198848/in/album-72157715612358918/ (from Jazz North East Archives)

Thursday, January 21, 2021 12:42:00 am

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