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Bebop Spoken There

Kurt Elling: ''There's something to learn from every musician you play with''. (DownBeat, December 2024).

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

17641 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 915 of them this year alone and, so far, 60 this month (Dec. 26).

From This Moment On ...

December

Mon 30: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Wheatsheaf, Benton Sq., Whitley Road, Palmersville NE12 9SU. Tel: 0191 266 8137. 1:00pm. Free. CANCELLED!
Mon 30: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.

Tue 31: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 12 noon-2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Tue 31: Lapwing Trio @ Wallington (National Trust), Cambo, Morpeth NE61 4AR. 12 noon & 2:00pm. Admission to site £19.00. CANCELLED!
Tue 31: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Tue 31: Archie Brown & Friends @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00-8:00pm. Free.
Tue 31: Jan Spencelayh Quartet @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 5:00-9:00pm. A NYE ‘Dinner-Dance’ event. £42.99. Featuring special guest Mick Donnelly.
Tue 31: Jack Logan @ The Robin Hood Inn, East Wallhouses NE18 0LL. Tel: 01434 672549. 7:00pm. £59.95. ‘New Year’s Eve Gala Dinner’. Rat Pack etc.

January 2025

Wed 01: Revolutionaires @ The Old Barrel (Flatties), Boldon Colliery. 3:30pm. Free. Excellent rhythm & blues.

Thu 02: ???

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: John Gregory @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar.

Sat 04: Rivkala @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £5.00. Xmas party (rescheduled from early December).

Sun 05: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: Salty Dog @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Americana, jazz & blues.
Sun 05: Papa G’s Troves @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free (donations).

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 12, 2021

Jason Isaacs Big Band @ Hoochie Coochie - Dec. 12

Well you didn't have to go to Luton for a good night out, you didn't even have to go to Leicester - particularly not to Leicester! You're best bet tonight was Hoochie Coochie in Newcastle or, maybe I was at the Sands, on The Strip in Vegas? When Jason Isaacs hit the deck with The Lady is a Tramp, if you'd closed your eyes, you'd have been standing at the bar drinking Jack Daniels and wondering if you could recoup your losses at the tables.

No gambling at Hoochie, it's all fun and excitement and vocals that lay waste to most of today's crooners.

The band, like most bands, had been off the road for a couple of years and even with a few deps it didn't show.

The arrangements were delivered as powerful as ever - how a band this size can recreate the originals by Riddle, Quincy etc. is just incredible.

Frank, Dean, Sammy, Elvis and the usual suspects were all well-represented and, let's face it, nobody does it better.

Everybody danced - it was that kind of night - Jason blew more tenor than usual. A blast on Tequila hit a groove that went down well, he gets an earthy sound.

The inevitable Elvis Trilogy got the audience going and even though Jason said that Lance, in his review, will call it sh--e he got it wrong - delete the last letter! However, I have to agree with Jason that the power of the ensemble in the finale made up for it.

There were, I think, 26 songs over the two sets. I'm not going to list them you can probably do it for me but one that stood out for me was The Way You Look Tonight. That line, Keep that breathless charm, is the most beautifully descriptive line in any song even though when Fred Astaire sang it to Ginger who was in the next room he was unaware that her face was covered in cream - magic!

A great night - it was worth digging out my suit even though, for some inexplicable reason, it seems to have shrunk but, tonight was a night for the suit, me and most of the crowd agreed - jeans just wouldn't have cut it ... Lance

Jason Isaacs (vocals/tenor sax); Darren Irwin, Dave Hignett (trumpets); Keiran Parnaby (trombone); Niall Armstrong (alto sax/clarinet/flute); Alan Marshall (tenor sax/clarinet/flute); Stu Collingwood (piano); Neil Harland (bass); Simon Ferry (drums).

2 comments :

Sylvia said...

I was there
And I can swear
I saw Lance
Dance!

Keith Chatton said...

Fantastic night, couldn't fault it... Epic

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