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Bebop Spoken There

Steve Coleman: ''If you don't keep learning, your mind slows down. Use it or lose it''. (DownBeat, January 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

17733 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 53 of them this year alone and, so far, 53 this month (Jan. 20).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Tue 21: ???

Wed 22: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 22: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 22: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 22: Pasadena Roof Orchestra @ Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm.

Thu 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free. Fortnightly.
Thu 23: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Obituaries 2024.
Thu 23: Jason Isaacs @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:30-6:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Thu 23: Pedal Point Trio @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 24: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Creakin’ Bones & the Sunday Dinners @ Lindisfarne Social Club, Wallsend. 9:00pm. Admission: TBC. Jazz, blues , jump jive, rock ‘n’ roll.

Sat 25: Boys of Brass @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:30-5:30pm. Free.
Sat 25: New '58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson's Wharf, Hartlepool. 6:30pm (doors). Free. A Burns' Night event. Jazz, swing, funk, soul, blues etc.
Sat 25: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 25: Jack & Jay’s Songbook @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Graham Hardy Eclectic Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 26: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 26: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:30pm. Free.
Sun 26: Gratkowski, Tramontana, Beresford, Affifi @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.
Sun 26: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 27: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 28: ???

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Thu 30: Matters Unknown (aka Jonathan Enser, Nubiyan Twist) + support TBA @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £12.22 (gig & food); £9:04 (gig only).
Thu 30: Soznak @ The Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 30: Struggle Buggy @ Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Rhythm & blues.

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, November 08, 2021

Sunday Night @ The Globe: The East Coast Quintet - Nov. 7

Keith Barrett (guitar, vocal, sculpture); Fiona Finden (sop sax, vocal); Stu Finden (bari sax); Andrew Porritt (bass)); John Bradford (drums).

I wasn't sure about this gig. I knew all the musicians individually but I'd never heard them collectively. I needn't have worried - it was a gas!

Stu blew great baritone, I'd always liked his work on tenor and he applied the same dexterity on baritone - Mulligan Lives!

Mrs Finden - Fiona - gets an almost Johnny Hodges' alto sound on curved soprano. Fi also chipped in with a couple of good vocals - more please.

However, the biggest surprise of the evening was front man Barrett. He played knockout guitar and, as the lady sharing my table said, "There's a new kid on the block"!

The "new kid" also contributed several originals including a vocal inspired  by some graffitti he encountered whilst out walking. Liam Loves Jazz it said. It didn't matter that Jazz may have been a truncated form of Jasmine (or James) it was enough to inspire Keith to write and sing a clever lyric. When he's not playing guitar, singing or composing Keith sculpts and one off his creations adorned the stage.

Andrew Porritt did the biz on bass impressing with some bass-drum exchanges with the ever present John Bradford who was extensively featured - you can hear him again tonight at the Central Bar across the river in Gateshead (7:30pm - £5).

The music itself offered great variety ranging from Latin funk to pure bebop with quite a lot of other stuff in between. On one of the Latin numbers every one wielded an array of percussion instruments including a bodhran and you don't see many of them on a jazz gig outside of Dublin!

This may be the band's last gig as the East Coast Quintet. In future they plan to go out as Panharmonia. I think the jury may still be out on that one...

Nevertheless, whatever the name, it's a band to look out for - Lance 

ECQ; So Long Eric; Song For Bilbao; Liam Loves Jazz; Friday Night at the Cadillac Club; 7 As Usual; Stu's Blues; ?; Copus; Nica's Dream; Lockdown Lydia/Tap Tap; ?; Groovin' High. 

3 comments :

Keith said...

Many thanks for that review Lance. I’m really pleased that you enjoyed the evening so much. We had a blast playing and are looking forward to many another gig. New material to come as PANHARMONIA. Just hoping we can win you round on the name as well. Whichever way, we plan to go from strength to strength with the music!

Ann Alex said...

I've just caught up with the recording and the gig was very enjoyable. I was wondering where the Findens had got to. I have a problem with the name Panharmonia as it is a bit difficult to say, too many syllables, though it describes the music well, sort of universal harmony (nothing to do with the harmony you would get from banging pans together!) People may start shortening the name I suppose to such as Panhar or Pannyhar

Russell said...

Here's an idea...call the band the East Coast Quintet.

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