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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

17904 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 225 of them this year alone and, so far, 72 this month (March 24).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Sat 29: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 29: Doris Day Story @ Phoenix Theatre, Blyth. 7:30pm.
Sat 29: Squabble! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 30: Jan Spencelayh & Dave Archbold @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 30: Jamil Sheriff Trio w. Nadim Teimoori @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 30: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 30: Jamil Sheriff Trio w. Nadim Teimoori @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 31: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

APRIL 2025

Tue 01: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Mark Robertson.
Tue 01: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, North St., Ferryhill DL17 8HX. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 02: Lauren Bush: The Jazz Singer’s Toolkit @ The Pele, Corbridge. 1:00-4:00pm. Vocalist Lauren Bush with pianist Jamil Sheriff presents a jazz singing workshop. £40.00. (inc. evening concert, see below). Registration required for workshop: www.laurenbushjazz.com. All ability levels welcome.
Wed 02: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 02: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 2:30-4:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Wed 02: Lauren Bush & Jamil Sheriff @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00-9:00pm. £10.00. Concert performance. Tickets: www.laurenbushjazz.com.
Wed 02: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 02: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. POSSIBLE CANCELLATION. See website for updates: www.theglobenewcastle.bar.

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.

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, July 17, 2021

Mornington Lockett featuring Henry Lowther @ the 606 Club - July 17

(Collage by Lance)
Henry Lowther (trumpet/flugel); Mornington Lockett (tenor sax); Gareth Williams (piano); Geoff Gascoyne (bass); Mark Fletcher (drums).

Tonight at the 606 was extra special - it was  Henry Lowther's 80th birthday!

Welcome aboard Henry.
 
However, before Henry joined the quartet, Mornington gave us 20 minutes of Without a Song. Blistering tenor that was more akin to the Williamsburg Bridge in NYC rather than the somewhat closer - at least physically if not musically - Stamford Bridge. The Williamsburg Bridge, for the benefit of jazz neophytes, is where Sonny Rollins took his sabbatical, practising into the early hours with no worries about the neighbours knocking! Without a Song came from the album inspired by Rollins' nocturnal activity - The Bridge.

Mornington did the Grand Old Man justice.

Talking of grand old men, tonight's GOM truly defied the years playing with controlled fire and increased lyricism. Every note, phrase, subtle nuance that Henry Lowther blows surely has all the trumpet players listening say to themselves, "Why didn't I think of that?!"

The answer's simple - you're not Henry Lowther!

The band, now a quintet, played Henry's arrangement of Ray Bryant's Cubana Chant. This was Blue Note revisited, regenerated, reimagined, re-anything.

Mornington exited stage left leaving Henry to mesmerise us with Some Other Time. Exquisitely melodic flugel playing.

Posers' Paradise was an original by Henry and related to another jazz club although no names were given. The tune turned out to be, as hinted at by the title, a contrafact of Stranger in Paradise. Quite an exotic rhythm that, nevertheless, didn't stop the guys swinging.

Mornington chose Skylark as a ballad feature. The room loved it although the RSPCB may have had a few reservations when Mornington himself was in full flight!

Wayne Shorter's United had everyone blowing like Blakey was in town - this was that kind of gig - but, by this time, us livestreamers had overstayed our welcome but we were given a bonus with a blast on What Is This Thing Called Love? Everyone went for it although, given the pending intermission, I thought there was, under the circumstances, just a bit too much doodlin' at the end. Nevertheless, another great 606 session.

OMG! I've done it again! I haven't said what a super sterling job piano, bass and drums did to make it all swing. My apologies to Gareth, Geoff and Mark - they are the absolute biz!

And there's  another great sax man next Saturday - Alex Garnett! 

Woohoo!  
Lance
PS: An afterthought. Where was the birthday cake? Did that come at the end or, being a small room, would so many candles have caused a fire risk? Just thinkin'...

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