Total Pageviews

Bebop Spoken There

Steve Coleman: ''If you don't keep learning, your mind slows down. Use it or lose it''. (DownBeat, January 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

17733 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 53 of them this year alone and, so far, 53 this month (Jan. 20).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Tue 21: ???

Wed 22: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 22: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 22: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 22: Pasadena Roof Orchestra @ Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm.

Thu 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free. Fortnightly.
Thu 23: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Obituaries 2024.
Thu 23: Jason Isaacs @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:30-6:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Thu 23: Pedal Point Trio @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 24: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Creakin’ Bones & the Sunday Dinners @ Lindisfarne Social Club, Wallsend. 9:00pm. Admission: TBC. Jazz, blues , jump jive, rock ‘n’ roll.

Sat 25: Boys of Brass @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:30-5:30pm. Free.
Sat 25: New '58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson's Wharf, Hartlepool. 6:30pm (doors). Free. A Burns' Night event. Jazz, swing, funk, soul, blues etc.
Sat 25: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 25: Jack & Jay’s Songbook @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Graham Hardy Eclectic Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 26: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 26: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:30pm. Free.
Sun 26: Gratkowski, Tramontana, Beresford, Affifi @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.
Sun 26: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 27: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 28: ???

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Thu 30: Matters Unknown (aka Jonathan Enser, Nubiyan Twist) + support TBA @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £12.22 (gig & food); £9:04 (gig only).
Thu 30: Soznak @ The Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 30: Struggle Buggy @ Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Rhythm & blues.

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.

No comments :

Blog Archive