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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

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

Mon 24: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 24: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 25: ?

Wed 26: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 26: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 26: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 27: Jamie McCredie @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Fri 28: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. THIS WEEK ONLY JAMES BIRKETT (guitar)!
Fri 28: Luis Verde Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 28: Spilt Milk @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £8.00.
Fri 28: Knats @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £11.50. (inc bf.). Album launch gig. Support act TBC.
Fri 28: Black is the Color of My Voice @ The Gala, Durham. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman show inspired by the life of Nina Simone, performed by Florence Odumosu.
Fri 28: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival: Musicians Unlimited @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 8:00pm. £10.00. (Weekend ticket £20.00., available on the door). Day 1/3. Musicians Unlimited in concert.
Fri 28: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

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

Sunday, August 15, 2021

Newcastle Jazz Festival Day Two: Dennis Rollins; Mo Scott; Jasmine Quintet - August 14

Photo © Malcolm Sinclair
Dennis Rollins' Velocity Trio: Dennis Rollins (trombone); Ross Stanley (Hammond B3); Pedro Segundo (drums) + Anoushka Nanguy (trombone).

Day two of the Newcastle Jazz Festival moved from the opulence of the Civic Centre to the more down to earth setting of the Tyne Bank Brewery for another day of variety and a wider choice of ale. However, quantity doesn't always equate with quality although, musicwise, it most certainly did.

The headline act was Dennis Rollins' Velocity Trio and velocity they had in abundance.

Photo © Malcolm Sinclair
To describe them as a powerhouse trio would be the understatement of the century. They begin where most bands of that description finish! Rollins, blowing a trombone with an uptilted horn didn't hold back. At times he created the effect of two trombones using, I presume, a form of octave pedal. Later, he converted the digital magic to reality when he brought fellow trombonist Anoushka on stage and the pair, backed up by Ross Stanley on Hammond and, not one but two Leslie speakers, the sound was something else. With Pedro Segundo driving them like a man on a mission to challenge every drummer in the world to put up or shut up the audience were shell-shocked for a brief second before they realised just what they'd experienced.

If you think I'm exaggerating and need further proof, it almost put a head on my beer - almost.

These were three guys who would win any shoot out and, who's not to say that under Dennis' mentorship that Anoushka will soon be up there too. As it stands, she's not far off.

The material came from two albums: The 11th Gate and Symbiosis. The queues soon formed for signed CDs.

The Mo Scott Band: Mo Scott (vocals); Dave Dryden (guitar); Keith Peberdy (bass guitar); Paul Smith (drums)

Mo was in a tough spot having to follow the previous set and, having been confined to barracks since you know when, she had it all to do. However, the north east's number one blues mama, like her inspirations, is at her best when the cards are stacked against her and it didn't take her long to to get the remainers to remain. Mo, and her music, is here to stay.

Numbers included: Devil Woman; Fever; Mercy, Mercy, Mercy; I Want Some Sugar in my Bowl; Don't Let me be Misunderstood; I Don't Need no Doctor; When the Sun Goes Down

Jasmine Quintet: Jasmine Whalley (alto sax); Sam Quintana (bass); Jasper Green (keys) Ben Haskins (guitar); ? (drums).

I must hang my head in shame here. Just as the set began, the hunger pangs hit - it had been a long time since breakfast - and I nipped out to the Caps Off catering van, parked outside, thinking I'll miss perhaps one number. Unfortunately, or perhaps not unsurprisingly, many others were of a similar mind and the queue was approaching crowd control status (slight exaggeration) the upshot being that I missed most of the set although, what I did hear was some contemporary jazz played by a fine alto player with a band that demonstrated the qualities that got them their Northern Line support grant. Lance             

ps: If you want to live the blues life you don't need to go to Chicago, Philly or Detroit. Just get on the Q3 bus late evening when the sun done gone down. 

An altercation between a drunk and a couple of equally inebriated women was approaching its climax. One of the 'ladies' said to the guy: "You're going to regret that remark for the rest of your life" which I thought was on a par with Clint Eastwood's "Make my day" in the movie Dirty Harry. However, at this point the bus stopped and two of Newcastle's finest boarded the bus and released the women into the jungle a.k.a. Dean St. on a Friday night. 

1 comment :

Steve T said...

Trios with three forces of nature: Cream maybe, Lifetime definitely, ELP some - not Russell - might say, Trio of Doom without a doubt but - mercifully - they were far less than the sum of their parts, or where on earth would we be!

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