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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.

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.

Wed 16: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 16: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 16: 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

Sunday, February 20, 2022

Francis Tulip Group @ the Studio, Gala Theatre, Durham - Feb. 18

(© Malcolm Sinclair)

Francis Tulip (Guitar); Tuoyo Awala (electric piano); Stan Woodward (electric bass); King David Ike-Elechi (drums) + Ferg Kilsby (trumpet)

When we started the Gala Lunchtime Concert Series back in 2013, we advertised it as featuring both established and up-and coming north east musicians. We were unsure if there was an audience to sustain the concerts and if so who it would be. We quickly found we were filling a ready gap in the market and audiences quickly built to fill the available seats. We persuaded the Gala management to increase the capacity to 100, and for at least three years up until lockdown in March 2020, the box office was regularly turning disappointed customers away. Since re-opening in May last year audiences have slowly built back up – and it’s pleasing to see lots of new faces, albeit the dominant hair colour is silver and grey – but today’s concert was the first to sell out.

It also featured a musician who, as a rare teenager, had once been a regular in the audience, Francis Tulip (pictured above) returning to the Gala to lead a band that promised searing guitar runs, a drum ‘n’ bass bassist and a ‘powerhouse’ drummer. But what would the Gala’s demographic make of their music?

(© Malcolm Sinclair)

Next conundrum: Billed as the Francis Tulip Quartet, five musicians walk out, but the trumpeter sits out the first number. Francis leads the quartet straight into NY guitarist Peter Bernstein’s Blues of Gratitude, a fast piece made for his style. His flowing guitar on the theme and fluent solo set the scene for what is to come, confident contributions from his co-musicians creating an impressive, tight ensemble sound.

A dedication (and a rainbow): After introducing his band members, Francis paid a warm tribute to his late uncle John Tulip and dedicated the concert to his memory. John had encouraged Francis and nurtured his passion for the music. Afterwards someone told me a rainbow appeared above the railway and across the valley as Francis spoke. May the music be with you, John.

(© Malcolm Sinclair)

Four becomes five: For the next number Francis introduced trumpeter Ferg Kilsby, who quickly added a new dimension to the ensemble as guitar and trumpet played the theme in unison to open Kenny Garrett’s Backyard Groove. Each member got a solo, Tuoyo’s piano invoking Return to Forever, an impression confirmed by Woodward’s pulsing Stanley Clarke style electric bass.

For Francis Tulip’s own The Brunswick the pace slowed, but not the intensity which the band built up to culminate in Francis’ driving guitar riffs and an explosive drums solo from King David.

(© Malcolm Sinclair)
Three out of four Knats: After sitting out The Brunswick Ferg returned for the rest of the set, Francis remarking that there were now ¾ of Newcastle-based fusion band Knats (Stan and K(ing) reversed) on the set. No wonder they were so tight. Two numbers from the Parker/Davis/Blakey forties' bands next for the (now) quintet: Along Came Betty and Donna Lee, the band showing they not only knew their musical roots but could interpret them in their own style for an exhilarating audience experience. It was difficult to say who was enjoying themselves most – the audience or the band.

The finale: The band closed with a stunning arrangement of Freddie Hubbard’s Birdlike – or was it Billie’s Bounce? In unison Francis played the head of the one over Ferg playing that of the other, the band exploring the themes in  turn to bring the concert to a brilliant close.

Age hails youth: Rousing applause gave the answer to the first question. Clearly lots of chords were struck with the audience as this talented unit steered their way through early bebop, 50s/60s hard bop and 70s fusion and onwards to present a distinct contemporary take on their musical ancestors. Brian E

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