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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

Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30pm-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 22: Mississippi MacDonald @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm. Blues.
Sat 22: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Old Cinema Laundrette, Durham. 7:45pm. £16.50. SOLD OUT!
Sat 22: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

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.

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

Sunday, April 11, 2021

Ten underrated jazz musicians by Mike Farmer - Part One.

1. Sonny Red (1932-1981). Somewhat overshadowed by his fellow alto players Sonny Stitt and Sonny Criss he made some fine records under his own name and as a sideman. He spent his early days in Detroit playing with Barry Harris, Donald Byrd and other musicians who were influenced by the great Charlie Parker. Check out his work on Jazzland LP A Story Tale in which he is  joined by Clifford Jordan on tenor. Red’s was born Sylvester Kyner Jnr and died too young age 48.

2. Don Menza  (b 1936). I first heard Don Menza at Manchester’s Club 43 sitting in with the Dick Morrisey Quartet and I’ve been a fan ever since. He played a fantastic solo on Just Friends that night that made me seek out his records. One LP that I once had and that I  have been trying to replace is Louis Bellson’s Live at Joe Segal’s Jazz Showcase which has Menza in blistering form with wonderful solos from Larry Novak on piano. Another LP I like is Morning Song on MPS which has a larger ensemble.  Two years ago I saw Don in Frankfurt’s Jazzkeller over two nights and he is still amazing with a huge sound that filled the room.

3. Lanny Morgan (b 1934). Born in Iowa  but spent his early years playing in big bands such as Charlie Barnet, Terry Gibbs etc. Then came army service in Germany. He made many recordings with Maynard Ferguson in the sixties and when the big band scene faded he played in small groups at  home and abroad   A good example of his fiery alto work is to be found on The Lanny Morgan Quartet VSOP CD.

4. Ian Hamer (1932-2006. Born in Liverpool to a musical family he moved to London in 1953 playing in the Tubby Hayes Octet and in the sixties during the big band era playing trumpet or flugelhorn in the bands of Ted Heath, Harry South and Jack Parnell. He did numerous studio dates with singers, pop groups etc. then moved in 1987 to Brighton where he ran the Sussex Jazz Orchestra and did gigs with various musicians in that area. I saw Hamer’s quintet at the Lift Club with Alan Skidmore on tenor and my old friend Pete Saberton on piano and it was a great night of hard-bop!

Mike Farmer

3 comments :

Lance said...

Hey Mike, that brings back the memories from when I used to hang out at The Flamingo. Remember Ian and his brother Stu. One of them, I can't remember which, blew a Gillespie style uptilted horn!

Roly said...

I first came across the great guitarist Bruce Forman on a Lanny Morgan vinyl album 'It's About Time'. With Lou Levy, Monty Budwig, Nick Ceroli, Don Rader. Great album and he sure is a great alto player.

Nick Gould said...

I was lucky enough to hear Don Menza playing at the Jazz Bar in Edinburgh. He had a great tone and played hard swinging music all night. I think I am right in saying he composed Groovin Hard which he played that night. A very memorable evening, he joined Bill Kyle and I for a chat at the end of the gig and told us some great stories.

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