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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

18069 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 390 of them this year alone and, so far, 68 this month (May 222).

From This Moment On ...

MAY 2025

Sat 24: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:15pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 24: Tyne Valley Big Band @ Bywell Hall, Stocksfield. 1:30pm. Northumberland County Show.
Sat 24: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 24: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ The Peacock, Sunderland. 6:00pm.
Sat 24: Dean Stockdale Quartet + Mingus Sings @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:00pm. Admission: see website: www.queenshall.co.uk. Stockdale (piano); Tim Williams (guitar); Gavin Barras (double bass); Gaz Hughes (drums) + Mingus Sings: Sara Oschlag (vocals); Alan Barnes (reeds); Tim Lapthorn (piano); Arnie Somogyi (double bass); Clark Tracey (drums). A Northumberland Jazz Festival event.
Sat 24: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 24: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Sat 24: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £3.00. + bf.
Sat 24: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 25: Northern Monkey Brass Band @ Spanish City Plaza (outdoor stage). 11:30am & 1:00pm. Free. A Whitley Bay Carnival event.
Sun 25: Zoë Gilby & Andy Champion: Bandstand Sessions @ The Sele, Hexham. 12 noon. Free. A Northumberland Jazz Festival event.
Sun 25: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 25: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 1:30pm. Free.
Sun 25: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 25: Catriona Bourne Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Admission: see website: www.queenshall.co.uk. Bourne (harp), Francis Tulip (guitar), James Owston (double bass), Joe Bainbridge (drums). A Northumberland Jazz Festival event.
Sun 25: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 25: Struggle Buggy @ The Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Blues.
Sun 25: Joe Steels Group + Norma Winstone (vocals); Nikki Iles (piano); Mike Walker (guitar); Steve Watts (double bass). 7:00pm. Admission: see website: www.queenshall.co.uk. Steels (guitar); Ferg Kilsby (trumpet, flugelhorn); Ben Lawrence (piano); Paul Susans (double bass); John Hirst (drums). A Northumberland Jazz Festival event.
Sun 25: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 25: Xhosa Cole/Neil Charles/Mark Sanders @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A JNE promotion. Note: Xhosa Cole replaces Nicole Mitchell.

Mon 26: Catriona Bourne Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance.
Mon 26: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 27: Bold Big Band @ Newcastle Arts Centre, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £12.00. & £10.00.
Tue 27: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Front St., Rothbury NE65 7UT.7:30pm. £12.00.; £10.00. adv. from Tully’s (opp. venue).

Wed 28: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 28: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 28: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 29: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: That’s the Blues, Dad.
Thu 29: Nova.sol + Mikoudi @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 29: Front Porch Three @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Americana, blues etc.

p>Fri 30: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 30: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 30: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 30: Rivkala @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Fri 30: Ian Millar & Dominic Spencer @ Middleton & Tonbridge Village Hall. 7:30pm.

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 13, 2021

Moses Boyd on Miles Davis' Nefertiti

(Press release)

World renowned listening concept series Classic Album Sundays is celebrating 10 years of hi-fidelity, immersive album experiences with the launch of free weekly live-streamed series, ‘My Classic Album’.  Funded by Arts Council England, the Sunday weekly show features an inspiring line-up of revered and cutting-edge guests including Kate Tempest, Goldie, Gary Crosby OBE, Black Midi, Nitin Sawhney with more to be announced.  The series will run alongside the platform’s  Patreon subscription service with monthly events, quizzes, webinars and sessions which have been joined by special guests like Giles Peterson, KT Tunstall, Joy Boyd and more.

The 2021 programming will kick start this Sunday 17th January at 8pm youtube.com/ClassicAlbumSundays - with a brand new episode featuring Moses Boyd.  Viewers will see Moses embarking on a deeply personal exploration of Miles Davis' benchmark album 'Nefertiti', including how just at 17 years old "everything changed" upon discovering the album, which not only shook the jazz landscape, but shaped his playing style and career.  This was a pivoting moment for Moses and one which has since led him to collaborate with many names including Little Simz, Floating Points and Beyonce.  Breaking down the record's "beautiful destruction" with an encyclopaedic yet accessible detail; Moses also gives rare insight into how Davis' further experimentation with electronic sounds and constant pushing of his band(s) has informed his creative process:

"A song is never really finished, you can always look at it from a different angle. This is what opened my eyes to looking into songs in a different way. Let's write a song but it's not done there, let's get it in a studio speed it up, let's slow it down...this album is such a good example of where music COULD go."


Hosted by CAS founder Colleen ‘Cosmo’ Murphy, Worldwide FM broadcaster & DJ Tina Edwards, NTS DJ and ex Boiler Room host Raj Chauduri, the DIY concept series takes place in an intimate, one-on-one setting with artists taking a deep dive on an album that has defined their journey. Often providing a level of contemplation attributed to lockdown, each interview reveals incredibly profound and personal insights, allowing each seminal album to be seen and felt in a totally new way.

Kate Tempest kicked off the 2020 series giving a rich personal exploration of Roots Manuva's 'Brand New Second Hand. Reminiscing on being a teenager, hanging out at open mic nights at Carnaby Street's legendary Deal Real Records rubbing shoulders with rap giants like Skinny Man, Ghost Face Killa and Ty - to meeting Roots Manuva. Further episodes saw Gary Crosby OBE exploring Charles Mingus ‘The Black Saint and The Sinner Lady’ and Nitin Sawhney on his Mercury nominated album 'Beyond Skin' and spoken word performer, 

CAS Founder Colleen Murphy says: “I’m very excited about the ‘My Classic Album’ series as we are bringing together a diverse range of dynamic artists, celebrating records that have changed the cultural landscape. In-depth music listening is a healing force that is much needed in this challenging time, and these revealing interviews will inspire viewers to turn off from daily life and give the album a spin themselves. I’m also grateful to be in a position to help support the presenters, creatives and artists involved in the ‘My Classic Album’ series, which has been made possible by the Arts Council England Culture Recovery Fund.”

Funded by the Arts Council England Cultural Relief Fund, the series will help support the venue and creatives who are making episode possible, as well as the artists themselves. 

'My Classic Album’ returns streaming live on Sunday 17 Jan at 8pm via YouTube and Facebook 

Curtis

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