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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

17923 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 244 of them this year alone and, so far, 91 this month (March 31).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Thu 03: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Women in Jazz.
Thu 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 03: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. A Tees Hot Club promotion. First Thursday in the month.

Fri 04: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 04: Ruth Lambert Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Fri 04: Tom McGuire & the Brassholes @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00.
Fri 04: Nicolas Meier’s Infinity Group + Spirit of Jeff Beck @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm.

Sat 05: Tenement Jazz Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 05: Sleep Suppressor @ Head of Steam, Newcastle. 5:30-6:00pm.
Sat 05: King Bees @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Raymond MacDonald & Jer Reid @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 6:00-9:30pm. £7.72., £1.00. (minimum donation). MacDonald & Reid + Objections + Yotuns.
Sat 05: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Kamasi Washington @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £33.00.
Sat 05: Vermont Big Band @ The Seahorse, Whitley Bay. 7:30pm. Tickets: £10.00 (from the venue).
Sat 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 06: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 06: Learning & Participation Showcase @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm (1:00pm doors). Free. Featuring participants from Play More Jazz! Play More Folk! Blue Jam Singers & more.
Sun 06: Joe Steels Group @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Ferg Kilsby, Joe Steels, Ben Lawrence, Paul Susans, John Hirst.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Hooch, Quayside, Newcastle. 6:00pm.
Sun 06: Leeway @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 07: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 08: ???

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?

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

Tuesday, February 22, 2022

Abbie Finn Trio @ Holy GrAle, Durham - Feb. 21

Abbie Finn (drums); Harry Keeble (tenor sax); Paul Grainger (double bass)

Hot on the heels of a sold out performance at the Lit & Phil in Newcastle, this evening here at Durham's Holy GrAle micro pub the Abbie Finn Trio reprised much of the material heard in the Loftus Room last week. The brick-lined cellar on Crossgate is best described as 'snug'. It's doubtful a cat has ever been successfully swung in the intimate space, however, drummer Abbie, tenor saxophonist Harry Keeble and bassist Paul Grainger ensured it - the music - swung from the down beat.     

Joe Henderson's Recorda Me, a likely favourite of Keeble's, introduced the trio to the (few) new faces there to hear two sets of straight ahead to contemporary jazz. The familiar faces present had a good idea of what to expect as Keeble developed a taut, Brecker-like tenor solo. Over Keeble's right shoulder stood Mr PG, bassist Paul Grainger, with little in the way of headroom to spare, bandleader Finn's kit squeezed into the far corner. Cuts from Northern Perspective, the trio's debut album, were interspersed with new material (premiered at the Lit & Phil) and a standard or two. Nothing Personal flew (Keeble embracing Brecker and Trane), Keeble an increasingly distinctive voice on the scene. Caravan featured more of Keeble and a top notch solo from Finn. 

Body and Soul is a tune we've heard countless times. The trio's take on Johnny Green's number offered a slightly different perspective thanks to Keeble exploring its harmonic structure. Second Skin was getting a second outing following last week's premiere performance. It didn't have a title last week, PG suggested Nuevo Pieles, this evening, as Finn revealed her kit had new skins, it went by the name of Second Skin. Next time (Jazz Co-op, Sunday 27 Feb) it could have another title! To close the set, Abbie and the boys went out on Irving Berlin's Remember. A good session.  Russell           

Set list: Recorda Me; Windows; Mirador de los Poleos; Nothing Personal; The Warren; Tangerine; Caravan; My Shining Hour; Body and Soul; Second Skin (aka Nuevo Pieles); Masca; Remember.
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