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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

Wednesday, February 09, 2022

While the Big Cat's away Black Swan jam session - Feb. 8

Mark Williams (guitar); Andy Champion (double bass); Rob Walker (drums) + Kit Giroux (vocals); David Gray (trombone); Murray Wankling (piano); Jacob Egglestone (guitar); Keith Tulip (bass guitar); Mark Taylor (drums); Will Pease (drums); Freddie Krone (drums)

The Big Cat, Mr PG, jam session supremo Paul Grainger was away gigging, so what could possibly go wrong? Well, nothing really except for the extra traffic in Newcastle city centre due to Newcastle United hosting Everton (52,000 spectators) and an ageing popstar entertaining 10,000 fans at the Arena resulting in parking spaces being at a premium. Bassist Andy Champion dropped off his instrument then set off looking for a parking space. Several laps of the city centre later, our man eventually nabbed the sole remaining spot seemingly for miles around. 

Guitarist Mark Williams acting as MC, Champion and drummer Rob Walker offering support, the house trio warmed up with three dead cert numbers - April in Paris, You Stepped Out of a Dream and Beautiful Love. Several of the student sitters-in were hearing the trio for the first time, it's fair to say they were gob-smacked at the level of musicianship! If nothing else, Newcastle University student Kit Giroux is keen as mustard and during the evening sang a few numbers: Black Coffee, I Got Rhythm, Água de Beber (in Portuguese) and Ain't Misbehavin'. 

An oddity of some of the recent Black Swan jam sessions has been the lack of horn players. One man who can be relied upon is trombonist David Gray. 'Showtime', as he's affectionately known, is always great value, a great player is DG (Beatrice, On the Sunny Side of the Street and more). Keith Tulip showed up and put up on Red Clay, pianist Murray Wankling dropped by, a real asset is Murray, and as the evening unfolded the university boys (no girls this week) stepped up. Guitarist Jacob Egglestone spelled MC Williams and remained on the stand for the remainder of the evening, a most impressive session from JE. Three drummers, two from Newcastle (Mark Taylor and Will Pease), one from Durham (Freddie Krone) were on and off the stand all evening. Krone made the trip from Durham to check out the Black Swan session. He said he'd be back with some of his fellow Durham University Jazz Society pals. We look forward to hearing them.          

The next Black Swan session is set for Tuesday 22. It promises to be something special with a first ever joint promotion with NUJO (Newcastle University Jazz Orchestra) and EUJO (Edinburgh University Jazz Orchestra). The main performance space in the Black Swan basement will be pressed into action for the occasion. If some of the Durham boys and girls turn up it has the makings of an 'I was there occasion'! Russell
 
Set list: April in Paris; You Stepped Out of a Dream; Beautiful Love; Black Coffee; I Got Rhythm; Interplay; All the Things You Are; Água de Beber; Beatrice; On the Sunny Side of the Street; Night in Tunisia; Red Clay; Summertime; Ain't Misbehavin'; Blue Monk.  
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