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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

Friday, April 08, 2022

The Jazz Defenders @ Hoochie Coochie - April 7

George Cooper (piano); Jihad Darwish (bass/bass guitar); Ian Matthews (drums); Nick Malcolm (trumpet); Jake McMurchie (tenor sax).

It could have been Birdland in New York or  the Down Beat in Newcastle but it wasn't although it was in Newcastle - Hoochie Coochie, where else? The Jazz Defenders were in town bringing with them the spirit of those Blue Note years when the Jazz Messengers were putting bums on seats at the former and the EmCee Five doing the same at the latter. Driving hard bop with the punch and power of funkin' soul added to the mix which, I think, was how Hoochie's head honcho described it although I could have misheard him!

The Defenders don't take no prisoners, don't carry no passengers and don't play, as Warren would say, no funkin' ballads. The last band I heard who kicked ass like this was the Tommy Chase Quartet and that was nigh on 40 years ago! But even they were like a Palm Court ensemble by comparision. 

With the exception of Horace Silver's Filthy McNasty, all the numbers were by pianist/leader Cooper who's compositional skills are only exceeded by his phenomenal keyboard technique (or vice versa). Many of them were from their latest album King Phoenix (review shortly) which is a must have. The two horns could cut it any place from here to eternity via Soho, Manhattan, Detroit, Philly, Chicago or L.A. Maybe even Timbuktu. Darwish stepped in on bass at a moment's notice switching from acoustic to electric as the occasion demanded. He ticked all the boxes and then some. Likewise, drummer Matthews began where most drummers end - he's something else!

One thing I like about Hoochie is that people dance and have fun. They certainly did all that.

I know we are only just into April so it's probably a bit premature to start talking about it being the gig of the year but, come New Year's Eve it must surely be in the frame and, if it's not, join the queue outside Fenwick's window - private joke, don't ask! Lance

3 comments :

Russell said...

Fantastic gig! Lance, I think you heard Hooochie Coochie's Main Man hollering something similar to 'funkin' brilliant'! Come the end of the year, if the gig isn't in the frame it'll be a real bummer (private joke!).

Unknown said...

Wow thanks for such lovely words Lance! It was a real pleasure and privilege to play for you all at Hoochie, we thoroughly enjoyed it 💥

James Watson said...

Amazing gig! Completely blew me away. I was expecting it to be good but this was on another level!
Bought the new album from the band after, it’s truly outstanding.

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