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Bebop Spoken There

George Porter Jr.: ''To me, syncopation is like jazz. It wasn't meant for the masses. It was meant just for a hip few". (DownBeat, May 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

18043 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 364 of them this year alone and, so far, 42 this month (May 15).

From This Moment On ...

MAY 2025

Mon 19: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 19: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 20: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, Bailey Rudd.
Tue 20: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Pleased to Meet You, Bridge St., Morpeth NE61 1ND. 8:00pm.

Wed 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 21: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public). b Wed 21: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 22: Nuevo Castillo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £5.00.
Thu 22: Anna Reay & Deon Krishnan @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:30-9:15pm. Free.
Thu 22: Pedal Point Trio @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 23: Dean Stockdale Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. ‘Celebrating Oscar’.
Fri 23: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 23: Anna Reay & Deon Krishnan @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: Joe Steels Group @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £10.00. + £1.55. bf. A Northumberland Jazz Festival fringe event.
Fri 23: Spilt Milk @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 23: Gaz Hughes Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm.
Fri 23: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 8:00pm. £19.00.; £17.00. ‘Time After Time’.

Sat 24: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:15pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 24: Tyne Valley Big Band @ Bywell Hall, Stocksfield. 1:30pm. Northumberland County Show.
Sat 24: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 24: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ The Peacock, Sunderland. 6:00pm.
Sat 24: Dean Stockdale Quartet + Mingus Sings @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:00pm. Admission: see website: www.queenshall.co.uk. Stockdale (piano); Tim Williams (guitar); Gavin Barras (double bass); Gaz Hughes (drums) + Mingus Sings: Sara Oschlag (vocals); Alan Barnes (reeds); Tim Lapthorn (piano); Arnie Somogyi (double bass); Clark Tracey (drums). A Northumberland Jazz Festival event.
Sat 24: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 24: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Sat 24: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £3.00. + bf.
Sat 24: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 25: Zoë Gilby & Andy Champion: Bandstand Sessions @ The Sele, Hexham. 12 noon. Free. A Northumberland Jazz Festival event.
Sun 25: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 25: Northern Monkey Brass Band @ Spanish City Plaza (outdoor stage). 1:00pm. Free. A Whitley Bay Carnival event.
Sun 25: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 25: Catriona Bourne Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Admission: see website: www.queenshall.co.uk. Bourne (harp), Francis Tulip (guitar), James Owston (double bass), Joe Bainbridge (drums). A Northumberland Jazz Festival event.
Sun 25: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 25: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 25: Struggle Buggy @ The Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Blues.
Sun 25: Joe Steels Group + Norma Winstone (vocals); Nikki Iles (piano); Mike Walker (guitar); Steve Watts (double bass). 7:00pm. Admission: see website: www.queenshall.co.uk. Steels (guitar); Ferg Kilsby (trumpet, flugelhorn); Ben Lawrence (piano); Paul Susans (double bass); John Hirst (drums). A Northumberland Jazz Festival event.
Sun 25: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 25: Xhosa Cole/Neil Charles/Mark Sanders @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A JNE promotion. Note: Xhosa Cole replaces Nicole Mitchell.

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

Sunday, December 19, 2021

Jambone, JB's Cats & the CAT Percussion Ensemble @ Sage Gateshead - Dec 18

Sage Gateshead's Young Musicians' Programme Winter Festival went ahead with strict measures in place. Proof of vaccination at the door, face coverings to be worn at all times, welcome to the never-ending weird year of 2021 and 2022 and...An audience comprising family, friends and supporters, this annual showcase for some of the very best talent in the region would take the form of three sets, each led by experienced tutors, in a wholly supportive environment.

Jambone, directed by Paul Edis and James Brady, featured a twelve piece ensemble (two or three chairs were occupied by experienced musicians there to augment the youthful sections) playing four compositions. Outgoing director Paul Ediswelcomed one and all to Sage Two, the band kicking off with Abdullah Ibrahim's Soweto. Fine playing all round. The tutors each contributed one composition: Edis' Of Mice and Men (its composer expressing his admiration for the young musicians' efforts in successfully negotiating the number's convoluted form). Brady's four-part suite Four Scenes on L'Homme Arme demanded concentrated minds, the composer's animated conducting guiding his young charges through each section. Mary Lou Williams' Roll 'Em closed Jambone's programme, swinging it as if it were circa 1939!     
Jambone: Paul Edis (MD, reeds); James Brady (MD, trumpet, percussion); Ferg Kilsby (trumpet); Joseph Meston (trumpet);James Goldberg (trumpet); Adam Johnston (reeds); George Ivanov (guitar); Izaac Wilson (piano); Jack ? (bass guitar); Nathan Hulme (drums)

Earlier, JB's Cats (that's James Birkett's group of talented early teenage years musicians) presented a guitar-centric set which, James Birkett informed the audience, being a guitarist himself, suited him just fine! Dr Birkett's one-time protégé Bradley Johnston assisted his one-time mentor in coaxing a marvellous performance from some of Sage Gateshead's stars of the future. 

Guitarist Joe Ducker's solo performance of Tommy Emmanuel's Gameshow Rag couldn't have been more impressive. Bradley Johnston sat alongside, next time you see BJ, ask him about Joe Ducker. In pre-Covid days trombonist Ben Haslam made a big impression. Perhaps fifteen at the time, now at the age of seventeen or so, Haslam is one seriously good musician (But Beautiful, solo, was, well, quite beautiful). What's more, the young man can play the piano! Sitting at Sage Gateshead's Steinway he proceeded to amaze a spellbound audience by knocking out a couple of tunes, including Stevie Wonder's Isn't She Lovely? 

The Cats enjoyed playing a funked-up DoxyMinor Swing swung, and, to conclude an eye/ear-opening set, vocalist Ariah Robertson joined the band to sing a couple of songs including I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire. Make a note of the names, if they choose to make music their career, you'll be hearing more, much more from them.            
JB's Cats: James Birkett (MD, guitar, bass guitar); Bradley Johnston (guitar); Joe Ducker (guitar); Ben Haslam (trombone, piano); Jack Stead (drums); Ariah Robertson (vocals)

The Saturday evening concert began with a short, spirited set by Sage Gateshead's CAT Percussion Ensemble. Illness reduced the intended number of participants but this didn't deter inspirational MD, Roger Hempsall. In the time allocated to the ensemble, Hempsall ensured his charges gave it their all. Two pieces - Militaria and Latinska Melodia - reverberated around the hall, Hempsall setting the pace, rattling out ever-more complex drum patterns. It can be reported that all four young percussionists did themselves proud. 

Paul Edis has made an inestimable contribution to Sage Gateshead's education programme (numerous comments posted to Facebook suggest just that). It would have been fitting if, on the night, Sage Gateshead had, in some small way, acknowledged Paul's achievements. One thing is for certain, as Paul makes London his home, Tyneside and the wider region's musical landscape will be the poorer for it.  Russell             

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