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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, April 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

17945 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 266 of them this year alone and, so far, 22 this month (April 8).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Wed 09: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 09: Tannery jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm.
Wed 09: Anatole Muster Trio @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £17.50., £12.50. concs.
Wed 09: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED?

Thu 10: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.CANCELLED!
Thu 10: Magpies of Swing @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £7.00. A Globe fundraiser (all proceeds to the venue).
Thu 10: Exhaust: Camila Nebbia/Kit Downes/Andrew Lisle @ Jesmond URC, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:30pm doors). £13.20., £11.00. JNE.
Thu 10: Jeremy McMurray & the Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Feat. guests Ray Dales & Jackie Summers.

Fri 11: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 11: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 11: John Rowland Trio: The Music of Ben Webster @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Rowland (tenor sax); Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass).
Fri 11: Imelda May @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 11: Shunyata Improvisation Group @ Cullercoats Watch House. 7:30-9:00pm. Free (donations).

Sat 12: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 12: Rob Heron & the Tea Pad Orchestra + House of the Black Gardenia + King Bees @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 6:30pm (doors). £18.00.
Sat 12: Bright Street Big Band @ Washington Arts Centre. 6:30pm. £12.00. Event includes swing dance taster session, DJ dance session. Bright Street Big Band on stage 7:30-8:15pm & 8:45-9:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Sat 12: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 12: Imelda May @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £42.20. SOLD OUT!
Sat 12: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 13: Daniel John Martin with Swing Manouche @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 13: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 13: Hejira: A Celebration of Joni Mitchell @ Wylam Brewery, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £22.50.
Sun 13: Wilkinson/Edwards/Noble + Chojnacki @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £13.20., £11.00. JNE.

Mon 14: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 14: Zoë Gilby Quintet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 15: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

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

Friday, January 28, 2022

Knats featuring Holly Flo Lightly / Swannek @ Hoochie Coochie - Jan. 27

(Pic by Russell)
Holly Flo Lightly (voice); Josh Mitchell-Rayner (keys); Stan Woodward (elec. bass); King David Ike-Elechi (drums).

The first of Knats' "last Thursday in the month" jazz gigs at Hoochie was different - no surprise there! Every time I've seen the band they were different. However, the difference tonight was even more pronounced due to the absence of outstanding trumpet prodigy Ferg Kilsby. So what did they do - find another horn player? Nah! Instead they co-opted the vocal talents of rapper Holly Flo Lightly.

It worked amazingly well. She rapped the words with the rapidity of a speeded up Michael Brecker solo and when she moved out of the fast lane the voice was as mellow as a cello.

The band themselves were on form with Woodward proving as adept a frontman as he is on fretless bass guitar. Mitchell-Rayner had some good solos although he would have benefitted from a tad more volume. It was a whoopin' and a hollerin' crowd!

No such problems for King David who kept the whole shebang rockin' along.

The only criticism was the decision to take a break mid-set when they had the crowd in the palm of their hand which allowed some to drift away.

The material was an eclectic mix of originals by the band, Holly and other sources such as Skepta and Roni Size.

----- 

 (Pic by Lance)
Mollie Birmingham (vocals); Graham Easthope (tenor sax); Fin Hewitson (keys/guitar); Jake Baines (bass guitar); Calum Sharp (guitar); Rob Atkinson (drums) - spelling may be incorrect - it was noisy and the lights were low!

Swannek were billed as the support band but, in truth, this was really a double-header thanks to the ebullient presence of Mollie out front. Think of Janis or Tina or Etta or the early Lulu and you've got an idea where she's coming from. Not a copyist but one who nevertheless evokes the same feeling, the same mix of fun and intensity.

Graham, a veteran of a 1000 jam sessions, slotted in well, his tasty tenor providing rare moments of sanity.

The younger members (sorry Graham!) also proved to be up for it. If this is the alternative face of jazz today I too am up for it!

The packed room suggests this could be another winner for Warren! Lance

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1 comment :

Patti Durham (on F/b) said...

What a fab night this was! Swannek were great - then the boys with Holly Flo!! She's something else - in that eye catching green jump suit! I'd love to get some of the lyrics to her numbers - she was rapping so fast it was hard to catch the words ...... You could see how much Stan and the boys were loving it!

Saturday, January 29, 2022 6:49:00 pm

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