Bebop Spoken There

Ron Carter quoting Sonny Rollins: ''What we call jazz - that's keeping the world in equilibrium. I don't care what kind of music you like out here today. It all comes from jazz.'' (DownBeat August, 2026)

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

18799 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 663 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 12) 32.

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

From This Moment On

August

Fri 14: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 14: John Settle Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. John Settle (vibes); Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 14: Bold Big Band @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £8.00 + bf.

Sat 15: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 15: Jake Leg Jug Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £16.26.

Sun 16: Vintage Explosion @ Cliffe Park, Roker, Sunderland SR6 8DB. 5:00-10:30pm. £44.00 (inc. bf).

Mon 17: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 20: Edson Angus Quartet @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 20: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Saturday, September 18, 2021

Mornington Lockett Quartet + Henry Lowther @ the 606 Club - Sept. 18

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

Another belter from the 606. When the above five musicians get together the sparks fly. The two horn players offer contrasting styles that complement (and compliment) each other. Lockett, the musical machine gun leaving no note unplayed. Lowther, the more reflective - he's Miles to Mornington's Coltrane - together they gel.

The livestreamed first set began as a quartet and an unusual choice - Mr Sandman. However, without the banal words, it's a good tune to blow on with Lockett cleverly incorporating The Chordettes' intro in between choruses prompting him afterwards to quote an imaginary Ronnie Scott quip: "That was a number by The Chordettes, next a one by The Red Arrows!"

Lowther joined for a number called Short Story, he maybe 80 year old but it certainly doesn't show in his playing. He doesn't shoot for the moon, he never did, never needed to. Like Miles and Chet he can say it all within a couple of octaves and, unlike Mornington, the Jazz Police will never accuse him of speeding in a built up jazz area.

His lyricism came to the fore in a rather beautiful feature - It Never Entered my Mind. Richard Rodgers wrote it, Miles recorded it and Henry (on flugel) did them proud.

Joe Henderson's Serenity, driven on by Mark Fletcher and steadied by Gascoyne also had an excellent solo by Gareth Williams who had been doing just that from the get go.

Time for a Mornington ballad feature. You Don't Know What Love is proved that he can be a very soulful player as well as a technical tearaway.  

The stream was taken out with Cape Verdean Blues.

The Horace Silver samba caused them to overrun their time but I wasn't complaining and nor, I guess, were those in the club and they had a second set to look forward to. Lance

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