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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

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. CANCELLED!
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: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. THIS WEEK ONLY JAMES BIRKETT (guitar)!
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.

MARCH 2025

Sat 01: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 11:00am. £15.00. Day 2/3.
Sat 01: TJ Johnson Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 01: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £25.00. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Get your funk on! Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 01: Shunyata Improvisation Group @ The Watch House, Cullercoats. 2:00-3:30pm. Free.
Sat 01: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers. Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Struggle Buggy @ The Peacock, Sunderland. 6:00pm. Blues band.
Sat 01: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 01: Jack & Jay’s Vintage Songbook @ 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

Saturday, March 20, 2021

KSTV: Playback session - Michael Brecker's Tales from the Hudson - Mar. 20

(Screenshot by Russell)
Alec Harper (tenor sax); Nick Costley-White (guitar); Will Barry (piano); Will Sach (double bass); Jas Kayser (drums)

Michael Brecker's mid-nineties album Tales from the Hudson featuring some heavyweight sidemen, including Pat Metheny* and Dave Holland, put Kansas Smitty's regular tenor man Alec Harper firmly in the spotlight.

As is Osei Mensa's wont, KSTV's presenter had a bit of a preamble with this evening's principal, Harper. Osei wondered about Brecker's influence on other saxophonists. Harper suggested any horn player after Brecker couldn't be other than influenced in some way or another by the multi-Grammy award-winning American who died at in 2007 at the age of 57. 

Aiding and abetting Harper was an ace band (when isn't it at Kansas Smitty's?); Nick Costley-White a match for Mr P Metheny, Wills Barry (Joey Calderazzo) and Sach (Dave Holland), and the excellent Jas Kayser taking on the role of Jack DeJohnette.  

(Screenshot by Ken Drew)

Smitty's online guitar fans couldn't have been other than impressed with Nick Costley-White playing Metheny, a great player is NCW, as he ably demonstrated on the American guitar hero's Song for Bilbao. Will Sach's fine bass solo introduced African Skies, Harper and band picking up on the groove with our Brecker man shooting for the stars. Phew! Stepping back from the mic, Will Barry countered with a blinding solo of his own, the group sound decaying into silence. Superb! 

Brecker's Naked Soul temporarily took it down before this ace band went out on Brecker's startling blues Cabin Fever
(Collage by Ken Drew)
. The furious tempo pushed all five musicians to breaking point - Barry soloing like a demon, Sach swinging, Kayser riding on a cymbal, Harper barging in to make it a tenor sax-drums fist-fight, Sach back in the game throwing punches, Barry comping, Harper all guns blazing, eventually pausing for breath, leaving it to NCW to maintain the momentum until Jas K's obligatory (marvellous) solo. Another winner from Kansas Smitty's!    
* Tomorrow night's live stream from Ronnie Scott's presents the music of Pat Metheny, log on at eight for Big Band Metheny.  

 Russell

Slings and Arrows; Midnight Voyage; Song for Bilbao; Beau Rivage; African Skies; Naked Soul; Cabin Fever

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