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Bebop Spoken There

Sullivan Fortner: ''I always judge it by the bass player: If the bass player is happy, it's going to be a good night". (DownBeat, February 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

17805 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 126 of them this year alone and, so far, 51 this month (Feb.16).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Sun 23: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 23: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Mark Williams Trio @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 23: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 23: Mississippi MacDonald @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. Blues.
Sun 23: Mu Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. CANCELLED!
Sun 23: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 24: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 24: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 25: ?

Wed 26: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 26: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 26: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 27: Jamie McCredie @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Fri 28: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. THIS WEEK ONLY JAMES BIRKETT (guitar)!
Fri 28: Luis Verde Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 28: Spilt Milk @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £8.00.
Fri 28: Knats @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £11.50. (inc bf.). Album launch gig. Support act TBC.
Fri 28: Black is the Color of My Voice @ The Gala, Durham. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman show inspired by the life of Nina Simone, performed by Florence Odumosu.
Fri 28: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival: Musicians Unlimited @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 8:00pm. £10.00. (Weekend ticket £20.00., available on the door). Day 1/3. Musicians Unlimited in concert.
Fri 28: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

MARCH 2025

Sat 01: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 11:00am. £15.00. Day 2/3.
Sat 01: TJ Johnson Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 01: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £25.00. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Get your funk on! Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 01: Shunyata Improvisation Group @ The Watch House, Cullercoats. 2:00-3:30pm. Free.
Sat 01: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers. Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Struggle Buggy @ The Peacock, Sunderland. 6:00pm. Blues band.
Sat 01: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 01: Jack & Jay’s Vintage Songbook @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

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

Saturday, March 19, 2022

Binker Golding Quintet @ Sage Gateshead - March 18

Binker Golding (tenor sax); Deschanel Gordon (piano); Billy Adamson (guitar); Max Luthert (double bass); Jamie Murray (drums) 

Binker Golding asked the audience if anyone had booked tickets two years ago and held on to them. A forest of hands went up. Tenor saxophonist, and one half of the the much vaunted duo Binker and Moses, Binker Golding had been scheduled to play Sage Gateshead in March 2020. In those far off pre-pandemic days the Londoner was due to be on Tyneside with his quartet to play a concert at the then recently revamped Gateshead International Jazz Festival. Sadly, the rebranded 2020 'Gateshead Jazz' event never happened. It had been a long wait, but at last we were about to hear Golding and his quintet.

Yes, Golding walked out onto Sage Two's stage with his quintet, not quartet as advertised. Drummer Jamie Murray, the sole survivor from Golding's most recent appearance in the region (Middlesbrough Town Hall, 2019), was joined by guitarist Billy Adamson, bassist Max Luthert and BBC Young Jazz Musician of the Year 2020, pianist Deschanel Gordon. 

Golding's two sets (precisely 45 mins each set) featured new material from the quintet's forthcoming new album. Our affable bandleader didn't bother too much in announcing titles, preferring to let the music speak for itself. Ah, the music...few in the audience could have predicted Billy Adamson's slide guitar opening the show, echoes of Ry Cooder! And then it fell into place, the second number - Love Me Like a Woman - was Golding's knowing take on Bonnie Raitt's Love Me Like a Man, Raitt herself a demon slide player. 

For the most part we were listening to the lyrical Binker Golding, the firebrand Golding keeping a low profile. Only occasionally did our man stoke it up, largely due to some terrific piano playing by Gordon. The rhythm section boys - Luthert and Murray - didn't let up all night, Adamson supplying the blues element. The set ranged across an Americana landscape via a Celtic jig (surely more than a nod to St Patrick's Day?!) to brief excursions in the post-bop fast lane. The Gateshead audience wanted more, Golding and Gordon returned to the stage to play a magical version of My One and Only Love.

Binker Golding returns to Tyneside on April 24 on what is certain to be an entirely different musical evening. Our man will be working in free jazz territory alongside John Edwards and Steve Noble at Newcastle Jazz Co-op's Railway Street premises. It's guaranteed to be different, very different. Russell

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