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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, April 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

17923 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 244 of them this year alone and, so far, 91 this month (March 31).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Thu 03: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Women in Jazz.
Thu 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 03: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. A Tees Hot Club promotion. First Thursday in the month.

Fri 04: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 04: Ruth Lambert Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Fri 04: Tom McGuire & the Brassholes @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00.
Fri 04: Nicolas Meier’s Infinity Group + Spirit of Jeff Beck @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm.

Sat 05: Tenement Jazz Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 05: Sleep Suppressor @ Head of Steam, Newcastle. 5:30-6:00pm.
Sat 05: King Bees @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Raymond MacDonald & Jer Reid @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 6:00-9:30pm. £7.72., £1.00. (minimum donation). MacDonald & Reid + Objections + Yotuns.
Sat 05: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Kamasi Washington @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £33.00.
Sat 05: Vermont Big Band @ The Seahorse, Whitley Bay. 7:30pm. Tickets: £10.00 (from the venue).
Sat 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 06: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 06: Learning & Participation Showcase @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm (1:00pm doors). Free. Featuring participants from Play More Jazz! Play More Folk! Blue Jam Singers & more.
Sun 06: Joe Steels Group @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Ferg Kilsby, Joe Steels, Ben Lawrence, Paul Susans, John Hirst.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Hooch, Quayside, Newcastle. 6:00pm.
Sun 06: Leeway @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 07: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 08: ???

Wed 09: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 09: Tannery jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm.
Wed 09: Anatole Muster Trio @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £17.50., £12.50. concs.
Wed 09: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED?

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

Monday, June 28, 2021

Sunday Night @ The Globe: Noel Dennis Trio - June 27

(Screenshot by Ken Drew)
Noel Dennis (trumpet, flugel); Paul Edis (piano); Andy Champion (bass)

It was back in the pre-blog days, at those fondly cherished Monday night sessions at the Side Café down by Newcastle Quayside, that I first encountered these three rather special musicians.

Since then, individually, they've lost weight, gained weight, lost hair, gained hair and, more importantly, achieved a standard that places them on a par with anyone, anywhere. A strong statement you might think but those who were present last night either in person or online would find it hard to disagree with.

(Collage by Ken Drew)
Opening safely, Dennis' unaccompanied introduction on flugel dared anyone to drop a pin. The mellifluous sound befitted the title - Beautiful Love. A switch to trumpet and a more biting attack on Joe Henderson's Recorda Me.

So far, so good but it was their take on Blue on Green from everybody's favourite album by Miles - A Kind of Blue - where it all really kicked off. Tightly muted trumpet, piano, bass then open horn and a fairly freeish finale.

If you're bold enough to play a Mingus number such as Nostalgia in Times Square then you need a bass player who can handle it. Andy Champion handled it as if Mingus himself had threatened him by saying that he'd better git it in his soul - he did git it in his soul! Edis also had it in his soul with another stirring solo before Dennis brought us up to the interval with some impressive half-valving.

The break which, incidentally, several of the livestreamers told me they considered it to be too long nevertheless gave me an opportunity to catch up with friends old and new in a socially distanced manner of course - my elbows are sore!

Back to the music and Love For Sale some nice block chords from Paul Edis. For me, the epitome of a good piano solo is the use of some well-chosen block chords - these were well chosen.

All Blues has become for bass players what High Society is for trad clarinet players - an essential part of their repertoire. For Andy Champion, falling off a log is difficult by comparision! 

Knowing Noel Dennis' affinity with the music of Tom Harrell it was inevitable the American trumpet ace wouldn't be overlooked and he wasn't - lyrical trumpet-playing on Moon Alley.*

Bus time was approaching but, when Noel announced the 'last number' as being Charlie Parker's Au Privave I decided I'd get the later bus! It was a wise decision as all three hit paydirt. Edis again going for gold, Dennis more like Freddie Hubbard or Lee Morgan as opposed to the Chet Baker influence of his early days and an arco bass solo from Andy that was just champion!

The audience clamoured for more and they got it with a nicely measured version of Stella by Starlight.

A lovely finish and, to make it even more perfect (if it is possible to be more perfect!) I caught the later bus with 2 minutes to spare. Lance

*Noel and Andy also appear on Zoë Gilby's recent album Aurora which has Zoë singing her own lyrics to a selection off Tom Harrell compositions.

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