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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

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: Red Kites Jazz @ Parish Hall, St Barnabas’ Church, Rowlands Gill. 7:30pm. £10.00. BYOB (tea & coffee available), raffle. Proceeds to St Barnabas’ Church. Performance feat. Shayo (vocals).
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, December 20, 2021

R.I.P. Phil Kelly - Death of a stalwart

We are devastated to have lost an absolute stalwart of Take it to the Bridge. For many years, Phil Kelly was a regular audience member who often sat on the door (with good friend Norman Redhead) as the smiling guardian of our £1 subs and raffle tickets. 

Apparently on a night out with friends, he had a fall. He went home and was found dead by neighbours next day. It’s unclear at present whether an injury from the accident proved fatal or something underlying had caused him to fall in the first place. Presumably we will hear more in the next few days. 

 

This was a man whose knowledge of and passion for jazz was second to none.  He paid almost annual visits to the jazz clubs in New York and always came back with T shirts, baseball caps, CDs, Village Voices and fascinating stories of artists who we needed to check out. If there was a jazz gig anywhere in the region, chances are you’d see Phil there. 

 

Phil’s literary awareness and fury at political idiocy was matched only by his genius for telling the worst imaginable jokes.  In the past couple of years he’d dipped his toe in the waters of singing (very ably) with the jam regulars and had even bought a trumpet – he was a keen student. He was also a highly talented artist as you can see from the portrait of Freddie Hubbard which he gave to Dave some years ago.

 

Take it to the Bridge regular Roy Stephenson remembers, “Phil was always there when I first started coming along to TITTB at the Chilly.  Always a kind word and a bad joke :-).

I remember Phil suggesting we visit a club, Swing 46, in NYC when Daphne took me there for my 70th.  A wonderful club off Times Square -  full of wonderful people and music - a recommendation I’ll always remember and in doing so always remember Phil.”

 

RIP brother. We’ll miss you very much. Jude

5 comments :

Russell said...

Such sad news. Whenever I went along to Take it to the Bridge, Phil would be there on the door with a ready smile. On one occasion, he greeted me wearing a Louis Armstrong House Museum t-shirt. Phil had just returned from one of his frequent visits to New York. He handed me a copy of Hot House (NYC's jazz 'what's on' magazine) knowing I'd appreciate it. I last saw Phil little more than two weeks ago. As I walked into the Hotspur pub on Percy Street in Newcastle he walked over, smiling, to say 'hello'. Phil will be sorely missed.

Norman Redhead said...

What can I add other than say he will be sadly missed and I am the proud owner of one of Phils magnificent pencil sketches of drummer Roy Haynes which he did as a thank you for taking him home after the weekly jam sessions
A great guy
Farewell Phil
Norman Redhead

Dave said...

This is a lovely eulogy for my wonderful and much-missed friend Phil. I'm so happy to say that I visited NYC with Phil in 2002. All the above is spot on. I'll come along and see you at the jazz sometime; I did have the great pleasure of meeting Dave and some of you once (with Phil) when I saw you in Heaton!

Beautiful tribute, love to you all.

Dave Reed

Unknown said...

I met Phil at school with Dave Reed. He was a very dear and close friend for many many years. He could make you laugh until you cried but also could say subtle things that made you think then laugh after a few seconds. Things he said and did have stayed with me and I still say them nearly every day, if not indeed every day. He’s made a huge impression on my life. Goodbye dear friend.
Dave Hardy

Margaret said...

I sat with the guy a few times at the Jazz club(the Globe) seamed a really nice guy,his jokes were awful,I loved them!.R.I.P.
Yours G.

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