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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

17923 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 244 of them this year alone and, so far, 91 this month (March 31).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

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.

Sat 05: Tenement Jazz Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 05: Sleep Suppressor @ Head of Steam, Newcastle. 5:30-6:00pm.
Sat 05: King Bees @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Raymond MacDonald & Jer Reid @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 6:00-9:30pm. £7.72., £1.00. (minimum donation). MacDonald & Reid + Objections + Yotuns.
Sat 05: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Kamasi Washington @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £33.00.
Sat 05: Vermont Big Band @ The Seahorse, Whitley Bay. 7:30pm. Tickets: £10.00 (from the venue).
Sat 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 06: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 06: Learning & Participation Showcase @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm (1:00pm doors). Free. Featuring participants from Play More Jazz! Play More Folk! Blue Jam Singers & more.
Sun 06: Joe Steels Group @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Ferg Kilsby, Joe Steels, Ben Lawrence, Paul Susans, John Hirst.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Hooch, Quayside, Newcastle. 6:00pm.
Sun 06: Leeway @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 07: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 08: ???

Wed 09: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 09: Tannery jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm.
Wed 09: Anatole Muster Trio @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £17.50., £12.50. concs.
Wed 09: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED?

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 20, 2021

Update on the Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society by Neil Todd

GJAS was formed early 1981 and this year is our 40th anniversary. Last August several of the committee discussed how we would celebrate the event and I have to say our plans looked quite exciting. Who would have guessed last August that we are still to some extent affected by Covid? Unfortunately our plans are on hold, so we will probably (hopefully) see a few things materialising in 2022.

GJAS hold (or should I say held?) their meetings every 2 weeks on a Thursday at Gateshead Library with our last meeting being held in early March 2020, thanks to Covid. Early last year I was elected Chairman and at the same time I also became Treasurer. Three years ago I started a Facebook page and a Twitter account for the society, which hopefully helps us to raise the profile of the Society. We are just approaching 2,500 followers on Twitter and some of the followers quite often re-tweet the tweets I post. I also use these two forms of social media to support our local musicians and their gigs wherever and whenever I get the opportunity. I was speaking to Richard Davies at the Globe last night and he asked if I could mention their gigs which I am pleased to do.

 

When I became Chairman last year one of my objectives was to increase our membership, but of course those plans are on hold as well. Unfortunately, two of our members have passed away this past year so increasing membership is a priority of mine, if we are to keep GJAS now and for the future.

 

As already mentioned, our last meeting at Gateshead Library was early last year so just after Christmas I suggested we run an online meeting which started in January this year and this has been a weekly event which we hold on a Thursday where members and guests join from 1:15pm for a 1:30 start. Not all members have been able to attend as some find technology a bit of a challenge, but those who do join in do enjoy it. 


We have some chat and play music of our choice. At the moment we use TEAMS which has replaced Skype. It is free and very easy to use. I set up a meeting and save it to the electronic calendar and then I email members with the link for the meeting. As members/guests request to join the meeting I admit them and we are then ready to start. Alan Barnes very kindly agreed to join one of our meetings a few weeks ago (see one of my attachments). I was very grateful to Alan as he stayed with us for 90 minutes sharing some interesting stories as well as playing some music.

 

Anyone interested in joining our online meetings please let me know - you will be more than welcome. Anyone who would like further details should email me at the GJAS email which is   GJAS1981@outlook.comNeil Todd

1 comment :

Lance said...

Thanks for that Neil. It was good to meet up with you last night at a great gig and to know that, despite the struggles with adversity that we are all facing the society is going from strength to strength.
Back in the 1990s, my dear friend - the late Margaret Barnes - asked me to do a talk about Art Pepper which I duly did and, despite upsetting the lectern and scattering my notes to the four corners of the room (Caedmon Hall was rather close to what was then, the Springfield Hotel)it, nevertheless seemed to go down well although when I played Art's version of Alfie with the Buddy Rich Band one listener did remark that it was almost as good as Cilla Black's!
I still have a typewritten transcript - somehere...

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