Bebop Spoken There

Melissa Aldana: ''Having to play a ballads album, which is something very revealing for a saxophone player, would help me to question some new aspects of how to go deeper into sound." (DownBeat May, 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

18656 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 520 of them this year alone and, so far this month (June 25) 72

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

June

Mon 29: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 30: Alan Law Trio @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free.
Tue 30: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

July

Wed 01: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 01: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 01: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 02: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 02: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Thu 02: De’Sean Jones & Blaque Dynamite feat. Urban Art Orchestra @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). De’Sean Jones (MD, tenor sax); Blaque Dynamite (Mike Mitchell, drums); Jamie Murray (drums) with UAO horns & strings.
Thu 02: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.
Thu 02: Howlin’ Mat @ Newcastle Arts centre. 7:30pm. Free. Acoustic

Fri 03: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 03: Paul Donnelly Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 03: Martin Taylor @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Taylor (solo guitar).

Sat 04: Spats Langham’s Hot Fingers @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 04: Michael Woods @ Cycle Hub, Quayside, Ouseburn. 1:30-2:30pm & 3:00-4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues guitar. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sat 04: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Take the ‘A’ Train to Summertime: From Melody to Masterclass. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 05: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 05: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Feat. guest Kevin Eland (trumpet).
Sun 05: Michael Woods @ Cycle Hub, Quayside, Ouseburn. 1:30-2:30pm & 3:15-4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues guitar. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sun 05: Lydia Rae Quintet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Rae (vocals); Sam Lightwing (alto sax, tenor sax); Ben Lawrence (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Sun 05: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 05: Storytellers Street Band @ Ouseburn Woodland, Ouseburn. 5:00-6:00pm. Free. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sun 05: Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 05: Jambone @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:15-9:45pm. Free but ticketed.

Wednesday, November 10, 2021

Greg Abate and Daryl Sherman at Wilmslow Conservative Club - Nov. 9

Greg Abate (alto sax, flute); Daryl Sherman (vocals, keys); Andy Peate (trumpet, flugel); Dave Luckhurst (bass, keys)

Last night I attended an interesting event in Wilmslow at a venue that has, for some time, featured weekly jazz sessions under the title Wilmslow Tuesday Jazz And Swing.  Graham Brook is the experienced promoter who makes these things happen and, for over ten years, he has presented many outstanding UK and International jazz artists plus providing a platform for up and coming talent. At one time these gigs took place on Monday nights but now they occur on Tuesday nights with a new starting time of 8pm from, as of next week (Nov. 16). Admission charge is £10 (cash only).


Greg and Daryl a.k.a. The Woonsocket two as Graham likes to call them, are former high school classmates back in the States and it was great to see them enjoying a reunion gig here in the UK and their selection of tunes included a few Ellington /Strayhorn items, some well known standards plus the occasional show tune such as Night and Day which Darryl used to play many times at New York's famous Algonquin Hotel as well as the Waldorf Astoria.


The opening number Autumn Leaves featured Birmingham brassman Andy Peate in duo with Dave Luckhurst playing his Roland keyboard followed by Satin Doll. By the way, this was a drummerless gig but the groove was there! I liked the bop quotes that Andy cleverly inserted into his solos on these tunes.


Then it was time for Daryl and Greg to be featured and with Daryl on keyboard and vocals Dave reverting to bass duties and Greg playing soulful alto sax and flute, the sound filled the room. This is another place with good acoustics. They were occasionally joined by Andy on flugelhorn and everyone excelled on Girl From Ipanema, always a good blowing vehicle. 


Talking to Greg and Daryl after the gig they both seemed very pleased with the way things went and I have a feeling they may do another re-union gig. Next year maybe? Mike Farmer.


More info re jazz at Wilmslow can be found on www.grahambrookjazz.co.uk

 

Autumn Leaves Satin Doll; You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To; Night and Day; I'm Just a Lucky So and So; Secret Love; Give me a Kiss to Build A Dream On; Days of Wine and Roses; Girl from Ipanema; Jumping With Symphony Sid; In a Mellow Tone; Skylark’ I Was Doing Alright; S’Wonderful’

1 comment :

Lance said...

Greg and Daryl on the one gig! I'd have done the Pennine Walk, backwards, barefoot over burning coals to be there!* My favourite singer and my favourite sax player - how come the north east missed out on this one? Any pics Mike?

*Or at least I'd have got the train!

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