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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

17655 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 929 of them this year alone and, so far, 74 this month (Dec. 31).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Mon 06: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 07: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, North St., Ferryhill DL17 8HX. 7:00pm. Free.

Wed 08: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 08: The Tannery Jam Session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Wed 08: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 08: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Thu 09: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: John H Hammond.
Thu 09: FILM: Soundtrack to a Coup D’Etat @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. 2:35pm. Documentary (dir. Johan Grimonprez) ‘about jazz, (de)colonial history and activism featuring Louis Armstrong, Nina Simone and Dizzy Gillespie’.
Thu 09: Happy Tuesdays @ Ye Olde Cross, Ryton. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 09: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. Ragtime piano. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 09: Mark Toomey Quartet @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. A Tees Hot Club promotion. The session now monthly, next one Thursday 2nd Feb, then first Thursday in the month thereafter.

Fri 10: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 10: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 10: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 10: Joe Steels Trio @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. Free.

Sat 11: Jason Isaacs @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 11: Under the Wellie @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 12: The New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 12: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 12: King Bees @ The Tyne Bar, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Superb Chicago blues band.
Sun 12: Dave Bottomley @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar.
Sun 12: Jack Pearce Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

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, December 06, 2021

Knats @ The Globe, Newcastle - Dec. 5

Ferg Kilsby (trumpet); Josh Mitchell-Rayner (keyboards); Stan Woodward (bass); King David Ike-Elechi (drums) 

There's no stopping these boys, gigs in the diary, a supportive following, and, if enthusiasm is half the battle, Knats are well on their way. The Globe hosted another large gathering, twenty four hours on from the full house there to hear the Tracey dynasty revisit Under Milk Wood. A rainy night on Railway Street didn't deter the hardy, Newcastle Jazz Co-op must be doing something right! Seated front row, left of centre, a bottle of Hobgoblin Ruby, let's go! 

Seat belt on, Knats don't do restraint. Whatever the number, it's all guns blazing propelled by the powerhouse drumming of King David Ike-Elechi. Bassist Stan Woodward knows his way around the fret (fretless) board and during the course of the evening chalked up several laps of it. The other half of the quartet - pianist Josh Mitchell-Rayner and trumpeter Ferg Kilsby - showed an element of restraint. A fast and furious take on Milestones would have left some nonplussed, perhaps Miles himself would have approved! 

Original compositions were interspersed with numbers from the modern end of the jazz spectrum. Idris Muhammad's Peace of Mind nestled alongside Modus Operandi, Knats' upcoming new release, no doubt it'll be available on Bandcamp or some other platform. The latter was given the Knats' treatment, ie an energetic workout. Ah, yes, 'workout', it's likely that King David works out. As the Knats guys develop, perhaps going their separate (music school) ways, it'll be interesting to see if they add 'restraint' to their already impressive arsenal. Whatever happens, let's not deny them the sheer fun of doing their 'thing'. 

Two sets of original material (all four musicians are composing for the band) plus some standards (Monks Evidence, Donald Byrd's Stepping into Tomorrow), the second set found Kilsby taking it to Woodward and Ike-Elechi, choosing to fight fire with fire, the young gun using the pedal effects at his feet. If you can't beat 'em...

More gigs are in the book, check 'em out. Russell

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