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Bebop Spoken There

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Josh Weir: I love the writing on bebop spoken here... I think the work you are doing is amazing.

Postage

16287 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 169 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (Mar 18).

From This Moment On ...

March

Tue 19: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Tim Johnston.

Wed 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 20: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 20: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 21: Castillo Neuvo Trio + Conor Emery & His ‘Bones Band @ The Grove, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £10.00. (£7.00. student).
Thu 21: Remi Banklyn + Chris Corcoran Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.50. Chicago blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Thu 21: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Ragtime piano.
Thu 21: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 22: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 22: Nauta + Remy CB + Last Orders @ Hoochie Coochie, Newcastle. 8:30pm (7:30pm doors). Free.
Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £15.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 22: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 23: Jambone @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:30pm. Free (ticketed). End of term performance in the Northern Rock Foundation Hall.
Sat 23: Milne-Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 23: Red Kites Jazz @ Rowlands Gill Community Centre NE39 1JB. 7:00pm. Tickets: £12.00. (gibsidecommunityfarm@gmail.com). A ‘Build a Barn’ fundraiser. BYOB, tea/coffee available.
Sat 23: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00. + bf (book in person at venue - no booking fee!). Featuring pianist Martin Litton.
Sat 23: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 24: Musicians Unlimited @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 24: Luis Verde @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Verde (alto sax); Joe Steels (guitar); John Pope (double bass); John Hirst (drums). Alto sax brilliance!
Sun 24: Elsie Franklin @ The Globe, Newcastle. 3:00pm. £10.00. Country blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Sun 24: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: Las Vegas Live with the Rat Pack @ The Forum, Billingham.
Sun 24: Ian Millar & Dominic Spencer @ Otterburn Memorial Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Sun 24: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Note start time - 7:00pm.
Sun 24: Bold Big Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 25: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 25: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Wednesday, September 22, 2021

Alex Clarke Quartet @ The Railway, Stockport - Sept. 21

Alex Clarke (tenor sax); Paul Hartley (guitar); Pete Hartley (bass guitar); Phil Bennett (drums) 

On Tuesday evening if you wanted to hear some live Jazz, you had a choice of three events within a radius of ten miles in the Greater Manchester area. I decided to visit my usual jazz spot the Railway to check out the Alex Clarke Quartet.  I’ve seen Alex before, but only when she was sitting in at Wilmslow Jazz Club with musicians such as Gilad Altzmon, Alan Barnes and Greg Abate. I also recall an afternoon at one of Malcolm Frazer’s house parties when she sat in with Harry Allen.  She does not lack confidence!    

In 2019 Alex was a Rising Star in the British Jazz Awards and in 2020 she was a finalist in the BBC Young Jazz Musician of the Year competition. If you want to know more about Alex and where she is playing next you will find her web site well worth checking out www.alexclarke.co.uk\    She was ably assisted on this gig by the fluid guitar of Paul Hartley, his son Peter and one of the best drummers in the north west, Phil Bennett.

For this gig Alex decided to feature only the tenor sax, although she also plays alto sax, clarinet and flute, an instrument I  once tried to play but decided to stick to the sax. She reminded me a bit with her big sound on tenor of another musician, the late great James Moody.    

Most of the tunes played were standards with the exception of Moanin’ which of course was made famous by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. Mike Farmer

Who Can I Turn To?; Mahna de Carnaval; It’s You Or No One. In A Sentimental Mood; Tangerine; Like Someone In Love; If I Were A Bell; You And The Night and The Music; Our Love is here To Stay; Polka Dots and Moonbeams; Moanin’; A Beautiful Friendship.

2 comments :

Craig Sutherland said...

Great revue Mike, it was a very enjoyable gig. I have a copy of her Mirage CD which is well worth a listen. - Alex Clarke (saxes & flute), Tom Kincaid (piano), Ed Harrison (drums) and Eryl Roberts (drums) . The correct link to her website is http://www.alexclarkejazz.co.uk/

Patti said...

Alex Clarke is a tremendously talented young musician - and blog readers who live in the region will be able to see her at Newcastle's Lit & Phil soon with Mick Shoulder, Dean Stockdale and John Bradford. Friday 22 October 1pm to 2 pm. Book direct from the Lit & Phil on 0191 232 0192. It's going to be a good 'un!

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