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Bebop Spoken There

Van Morrison: ''Basically, I'm coming from jazz. Not pop, not rock, not what's commercial. That's where I started, and that's still where I am. I feel the same as I did when I was listening to Louis Armstrong, Lead Belly, Jelly Roll Morton''. (The Northern Echo, 12 June 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

1803759 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 480 of them this year alone and, so far, 58 this month (June 18).

From This Moment On ...

JUNE 2025

Sat 21: Jason Holcomb Jazz Ensemble @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 5:30-7:30pm. Free. A 'Sunderland Year of Music' event.
Sat 21: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 21: Red Kites Jazz @ Staithes Café, Dunston. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Sat 21: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 22: Phoenix 4 @ Wallington, Northumberland. 12 noon-1:00pm & 2:00-3:00pm. Tel: 01670 773606. National Trust admission prices apply. ‘Tunes in the Blooms’.
Sun 22: Lapwing Trio @ Wallington, Northumberland. 1:00-2:00pm. Tel: 01670 773606. National Trust admission prices apply. ‘Tunes in the Blooms’.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Jason Isaacs Trio @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 4:00pm. £18.00. + £1.08 bf.
Sun 22: JazzMain @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 23: MSK Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance.
Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club (1:00pm). Free.

Tues 24: ???

Wed 25: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 25: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 25: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 25: The Magpies of Swing @ The Roxy, Leadgate, Co. Durham. 7:30pm. A Ginger Jitterbugs swing dance event, all welcome.

Thu 26: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Brass Instruments & the use of mutes.

Fri 27: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm.
Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 27: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 8:00pm. ‘Time After Time’.

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

Wednesday, July 28, 2021

Freddy Garner Quartet @ The Railway, Stockport - July 27

Freddy Garner (piano); Jim Collins (flute, tenor/alto sax);  James Adolpho (double bass); Erryl Roberts (drums) + Leo Sheldon (alto sax)

It had begun to rain when I set off for Stockport and, by the time I got there it was bucketing it down. Despite the terrible weather there was a large group of people waiting to hear pianist Freddy Garner, a veteran of the north west jazz scene, his style being similar to Hampton Hawes or Victor Feldman with bits of Bill Evans thrown in. 

However, things got off to a rocky start. When Freddy was assembling his Nordic 2 keyboard the stand collapsed and all efforts to fix it failed.  Fortunately, the Railway has an upright piano so that was utilised and the show started on time at 9:00pm. Tonight Freddy was ably assisted by the above musicians.  Also sitting in during the second half was a young alto player Leo Sheldon who joined Jim on Green Dolphin Street and Billie’s Bounce. He had a nice sound and went down well with the audience.

To conclude, it was a great evening of jazz and it was good to see a large number of young people in the room which added to the atmosphere.  Jim Collins played some fantastic solos and his flute work on Forest Flower was exceptional. James Adolpho on bass reminds me a lot  of Paul Chambers. Erryl Roberts, who jumped in at minutes notice, kept things nice and solid doing some interesting brushwork on the slower numbers. Not much I can say about Freddy apart from observing that it’s amazing he is still performing to such a high standard. I find his energy inspiring.            

The next event at the Railway is the Steve Pimlott Quartet   on Sunday August 1. Mike Farmer.

Softly as in a Morning Sunrise; Speak Low; Beatrice; Forest Flower; Some Other Time; Voyage; Out of This World; If I Were a Bell; Green Dolphin Street; Billie’s Bounce; Black Nile; Caravan.

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