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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

Mon 17: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 17: Matt Forster Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance.
Mon 17: Russ Morgan Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law, Paul Grainger, John Hirst.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Jazz Milestones - 1975.
Thu 20: Renegade Brass Band @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 20: Orange Claw Hammer + Peony @ The Globe, Newcastle.7:30pm. Orange Claw Hammer play Captain Beefheart.
Thu 20: Jeremy McMurray & the Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Featuring special guest Zoë Gilby.

Fri 21: JazzMain @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 21: Joe Steels Trio @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £10.00. TBC.
Fri 21: Emma Rawicz w. Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

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.
Sun 23: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

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, June 19, 2021

Jazz Jamaica @ Sage Gateshead - June 18

Once upon a time Gateshead Quays was a round-the-clock hive of artistic activity. Baltic's doors were open to one and all showing the best in contemporary visual art and its near neighbour, Sage Gateshead, presented world class performances by folk, jazz, rock, pop and classical musicians. Then, some fifteen months ago, the lights went out. The pandemic struck and, in common with many other sectors, the performing arts came to a shuddering halt. That was then, this is now - Jazz Jamaica are back in town!

Sage One's audience divided into colour-coded zones. Your correspondent found himself in the red zone, all seats socially distanced. All present were obliged to wear a face covering during the one hour fifteen minutes or so Gary Crosby's Jazz Jamaica occupied the stage. It was an odd, if not eerie, experience. MC Crosby recalled the band's first appearance at Sage Gateshead all of fifteen, perhaps sixteen years ago, our man suggesting this was one of his favourite venues. 

Trojan Records played a vital role in popularising Jamaican reggae. Crosby's formative years found him listening to the music thanks in part to south London MC sound systems. Decades later Jazz Jamaica are on the road celebrating one of the Caribbean's finest cultural exports. The current line-up includes several names familiar to a Tyneside jazz audience (Denys Baptiste, Camilla George, Eddie Hick, Cherise Adams-Burnett), some not so familiar. From the off the band played killer rhythms, anchored by bass man Lance Rose and drummer Eddie Hick. Periodically the nine piece band would be joined by vocalists Cara Crosby-Irons and Cherise Adams-Burnett.   

Three instrumentals, one after another, promised/threatened to get the audience on its feet. Promise not to tell? One or two did just that! Green IslandLiquidator, Double Barrel (the latter giving trumpeter Mark Kavuma a first opportunity to have a blow), band and audience nicely warmed up. Cara Crosby-Irons impressed big time singing Waiting in Vein (Denys Baptiste blowing excellent tenor). For some time Mark Kavuma has been a name on BSH's radar (album reviews, an online performance from Ronnie's). Eastern Standard Time found Kavuma in blistering form - clean, articulate bop lines, be sure to catch him next time he's in town. 

As Cara Crosby-Irons returned to sing an epic Police and Thieves, the horns cleared off, leaving the stage to our vocalist with Ben Burrell playing organ, supported by an ace rhythm section - Rose, Hick, Satin Singh and the impressive Sonia Kounate on guitar . A set highlight, that's for sure. My Boy Lollipop had 'em up dancing (don't tell anyone!), An encore was assured, cue Herbie H's Cantaloupe Island 
                    
Gary Crosby (MC); Mark Kavuma (trumpet); Harry Brown (trombone); Denys Baptiste (tenor sax); Camilla George (alto sax); Sonia Kounate (guitar); Ben Burrell (piano, organ); Lance Rose (double bass); Eddie Hick (drums); Satin Singh (percussion); Cara Crosby-Irons (vocals); Cherise Adams-Burnett (vocals)


Earlier, Ladies of Midnight Blue entertained an all-seated audience on Sage Gateshead's expansive concourse. Hannabiell Sanders and Yilis del Carmen Suriel played a variety of African and Latin percussion instruments, Hannabiell also playing her now familiar bass trombone and a conch shell. Hannabiell did her best to engage with the audience but some how or other their set took a while to spark. Fifteen months into the pandemic it could take some time for audiences to remember how it used to be...applause, whoopin' and a hollerin'. Give it time, we'll get the hang of it!       

Hannabiell Sanders (bass trombone, percussion, conch), Yilis del Carmen Suriel ((percussion)

Jazz Jamaica's set list: Green IslandLiquidator; Double BarrelDon't Stay AwayWaiting in VeinWhat About Me?Eastern Standard TimePolice and ThievesHow Could I LeaveMy Boy Lollipop; Cantaloupe Island.

1 comment :

NeilC said...

Watched it on stream brilliant . Sadly the streaming patrons didn't see Cantaloupe Island encore . The Sage said the band decided not to include it when I enquired but it did not detract from a really great gig.

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