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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

17777 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 98 of them this year alone and, so far, 23 this month (Feb.8).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Sun 16: MOBO Song @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 12 noon. Free, performances on the concourse. Line-up inc. Jazz Attack (on stage time TBC) & Jambone (12:20pm).
Sun 16: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 16: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: BBC Introducing NE X MOBO Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Jambone, Knats, Rivkala, SwanNek.
Sun 16: The Shayo Experience @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 16: Gerry Richardson Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. .

Mon 17: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 17: Matt Forster Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance.
Mon 17: Russ Morgan Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law, Paul Grainger, John Hirst.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Jazz Milestones - 1975.
Thu 20: Renegade Brass Band @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 20: Orange Claw Hammer + Peony @ The Globe, Newcastle.7:30pm. Orange Claw Hammer play Captain Beefheart.
Thu 20: Jeremy McMurray & the Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Featuring special guest Zoë Gilby.

Fri 21: JazzMain @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 21: Joe Steels Trio @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £10.00. TBC.
Fri 21: Emma Rawicz w. Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

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.

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

Monday, September 27, 2021

The Roaring Twenties @ Cadogan Hall - Sept. 25

A concert long in the planning, the pandemic put paid to the original date in September last year. In the intervening period, the show's MD, Keith Nichols, sadly died. This evening's Cadogan Hall concert would take the form of a tribute to Mr Nichols. 

The concert hall in London's Sloane Square is a regular host to Richard Pite's Jazz Repertory Company presentations and this event attracted a near capacity audience. One notable absentee from the line-up was cornetist Andy Schumm, thanks to ever-changing regulations concerning international travel, our American guest stayed home in Chicago. 

The Roaring Twenties adopted a simple formula: a selection of numbers grouped together would spotlight legendary composers and/or performers with each section introduced by Kerry Shale. Members of the all-star ensemble would, in turn, step up as featured soloists. From time to time the ten-strong ensemble would be joined by several special guests. Rico Tomasso and Peter Rudeforth wowed the classic jazz aficionados, Tomasso full value with his uncanny Louis Armstrong vocals. 

Elegant pianist Martin Litton, charged with doing justice to the late Keith Nichols, did a fine job, flanked on one side by the woodwinds (Michael McQuaid, David Horniblow and Mark Crooks) and on the other by the brass (Rico Tomasso, Peter Rudeforth and Alistair Allan). As Vimala Rowe took to the stage, it appeared few in the audience had heard of, let alone heard Vimala Rowe sing. They were about to be amazed! Singing Bessie Smith numbers, Ms Rowe could justifiably lay claim to the title Empress of the Blues

Messrs Pite (drums, sousaphone, double bass), Langham (that's Tom 'Spats' Langham, banjo, guitar and vocals) and Ball (that's the youthful looking percussionist Nick Ball) were in scintillating form - close your eyes and this was the Cotton Club, Harlem NYC! 

Janice Day, a frequent participant at the Classic Jazz Party up on Tyneside, offered a cameo with a period-style rendition of Mildred Bailey singing I Like to Do Things for You. And an unexpected, but absolutely brilliant, contribution came from none other than Guy Barker playing Bixian cornet (see photo, Barker flanked by Michael McQuaid and Alistair Allan). Barker's illustrious career - from NYJO to the Guy Barker Jazz Orchestra - includes a musical association with Keith Nichols. Barker addressed the Cadogan Hall audience, recalling a first meeting with Nichols during which he asked the early jazz authority why he wanted him to play the roll of Bix Beiderbecke. Nichols replied he didn't want to engage an established specialist, he wanted someone - Barker, a dirty bopper - who would do as he was told! 

The evening had been a great success. An unexpected finale saw the ensemble joined by a young dance troupe to send us on our way with a spirited take on The Charleston. One imagines Keith Nichols would have loved it. 

Kerry Shale (presenter); Vimala Rowe (vocals); Thomas 'Spats' Langham (banjo, guitar, vocals); Rico Tomasso (trumpet); Peter Rudeforth (trumpet); Alistair Allan (trombone); Michael McQuaid (saxophones, clarinet); Mark Crooks (saxophones, clarinet); David Horniblow (saxophones, clarinet); Martin Litton (piano); Nick Ball (drums); Richard Pite (drums, sousaphone, double bass) & special guests Guy Barker (cornet); Janice Day (vocals)

Set list: Struttin' with Some BarbecueWillie the Weeper; Sugar Foot Stomp (Louis Armstrong); I'm Coming VirginiaGoose PimplesClarinet Marmalade (Bix Beiderbecke); Black Bottom StompSmokehouse BluesDr Jazz (Jelly Roll Morton); Nobody Knows You When You're Down and OutSt Louis BluesHot Time in the Old Town Tonight (Bessie Smith); Cotton Club StompBlack BeautyOld Man Blues (Duke Ellington at the Cotton Club); The Charleston.

INTERVAL

Singin' the BluesJazz Me Blues (Bix Beiderbecke); I Like to Do Things for You (Mildred Bailey); In a Mist (Bix Beiderbecke); Sidewalk BluesGeorgia SwingBurnin' the Iceberg (Jelly Roll Morton); Careless Love BluesGive Me a PigfootCakewalkin' Babies Back Home (Bessie Smith); After You've GoneMahogany Hall Stomp (Louis Armstrong); East St Louis Toodle-Oo; Creole Love CallDiga Diga Do (Duke Ellington at the Cotton Club).  

The Roaring Twenties was a Jazz Repertory Company presentation.

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