Bebop Spoken There

Donovan Haffner ('Best Newcomer' 2025 Parliamentary Jazz Awards): ''I got into jazz the first time I picked up a saxophone!" - Jazzwise Dec 25/Jan 26

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

18146 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 24 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 7), 24

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Sat 10: Mark Toomey Quintet @ St Peter’s Church, Stockton-on-Tees. 7:30pm. £12.00. (inc. pie & peas). Tickets from: 07749 255038.

Sun 11: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 12: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 12: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 13: Milne Glendinning Band @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00. Coquetdale Jazz.
Tue 13: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 14: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 14: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 15: Mark Toomey Quartet @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. Quartet + guest Paul Donnelly (guitar).

Fri 16: Giles Strong Quartet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 16: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 16: Darlington Big Band @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 16: Leeds City Stompers @ Billy Bootleggers, Newcastle. 9:00pm. Free.

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, March 20, 2022

Mo Pleasure Band livestreaming from the 606 - March 19

Mo Pleasure (vocal, bass guitar); Gerry Brown (guitar); Jamie Michael Harrison (tenor sax, EWI);  Jasper Keys (keys!); ? (drums) + Dan Reinstein (sop sax); Kedma (vocals).

A funkin' good soul, ska what have you session that had the 606 enjoying what, for me, was just the first set. It could only get better and, personally, I wouldn't have complained if it hadn't. They got a good groove and stuck with it.

Leader Pleasure kept the underlying pulse going without faltering. He also delivered a unison scat/bass solo that didn't do any harm at all. Gerry Brown thrashed away effectively and, band newcomer, Keys switched effortlessly from keyboard (elec) to keyboard (grand) and back again.

Harrison played tenor before switching to that bizarre creation of the digital age the EWI (Electronic Wind Instrument). He played it well but I wouldn't buy one myself.

Vocalist Kedna is wedded to Pleasure (Mo) and, in Aretha mode, she kicked You Make me Feel Like a Natural Woman to yon side of the Thames and back again. The audience (and I) loved it.

Mo introduced Dan Reinstein as being, not only the the world's greatest opthamologist but also the world's greatest soprano saxophonist. Now, seeing as I was unfamiliar with his work in either of those professions, I raised a quizzical eyebrow. Fortunately, being on the livestream, he didn't ask me to read the bottom line. However, re his playing of the curved sop sax, he certainly does the biz. I haven't heard all of the world's sop players but this guy is a potential contender - keep your eyes on him. Lance

No comments :

Blog Archive