Total Pageviews

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

17777 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 98 of them this year alone and, so far, 23 this month (Feb.8).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Sun 09: The New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 09: Glenn Miller & Big Band Spectacular @ The Forum, Billingham. 3:00pm.
Sun 09: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Tom Remon & Mark Williams @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 09: Rod Oughton’s Tomorrow’s New Quartet with Ben van Helder @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Line-up inc. Deschanel Gordon.
Sun 09: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 10: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 11: Steve Summers Quintet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm.

Wed 12: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Jam session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 12: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 13: Student Performances @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 4:00pm. Free. Inc. Olly Styles (tenor sax).
Thu 13: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: Artist Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Hannabiell & Midnight Blue.
Thu 13: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 14: John Rowland Trio @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 12:30-1:30pm. £5.00. at the door. New second Friday in the month concert series.
Fri 14: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 14: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 14: Archipelago + Anna Tempest @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £8.00.
Fri 14: Paul Jones & Dave Kelly @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. Rhythm & blues.
Fri 14: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Fri 14: Jazz Sabbath @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 15: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 15: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 15: Elkie Brooks @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. ‘The Long Farewell Tour’.
Sat 15: Milne Glendinning Band @ 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, April 16, 2022

Ukraine Fundraiser @ St James' and St Basil's Church - April 16

It's not often that I go to church on a  Saturday and, to be honest, I haven't shown my face much on Sundays either - we each have our own way... This Saturday, however, was rather special. We weren't thinking of the troops of Midian prowling around but those of Adolph (intentional) Putin's troops decimating a country.

With all this in mind I felt that it was important that we stood up and applauded the artists who gave their services free to appear as well as the jazz fraternity - some of whom showed their faces - and, hopefully, dug deep.

Zoë Gilby and Andy Champion got the ball rolling. This was particularly special for the duo as they'd played festivals in Ukraine and bonded with many of the folks they'd met. In the past I've bemoaned the acoustics of the church but, whether or not by divine intervention, they seemed to enhance all of the afternoon's performances. Loved our girl's take on Nice Work if You Can Get it with her semi-rap ending. Oh baby she's got it!

Harry Keeble (tenor sax); Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (bass); Tim Johnston (drums) + David Gray (trombone). For some obscure reason, Harry didn't use the mic. This was fine when he was blowing but left the audience playing 'guess the tune!' We did guess Have You Met Miss Jones? which brought David Gray on stage and, as ever, he blew up the proverbial, but the first and last numbers were mysteries although I did find out later that the last number was Steve Kuhn's oddly titled The Saga of Harrison Crabfeathers. Alan Law set down the benchmark for any pianist to follow and, perhaps, the only one who could was Paul Edis.

Paul Edis, now domiciled down south (and making a name) played a solo set that revealed just why he is held in such high esteem. A complex, but logical take on Greensleeves, Brubeck's It's a Raggy Waltz, Lord of the Dance, an amazing One Note Samba and a strange Young at Heart were just some of the numbers in his set. Hallelujah I Just Love him So wasn't in the set but I'm sure it was in the hearts of many of the listeners.

We recharged our glasses albeit not without a feeling of guilt as I recalled the original JC kicking the money changers out of the Temple (John 2: 13-16).

Ruth Lambert (vocal); Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (bass) Tim Johnston (drums) + Jim McBriarty (clarinet). With all due respect to every one, but Ruth really nailed this one. Maybe by only a short head but, her reading of But Beautiful was one of those rare, once in a lifetime moments.  Jim McBriarty blew fine clarinet on I'm Old Fashioned and How High the Moon, with Alan Law also shooting for the moon, just perfect.

Of course the aim of the game was to raise cash for the cause and no doubt a statement will be duly issued with a special mention of Ashington's John Taylor who donated a couple of books one one of which, William Claxton's Jazz Files, went to an anonymous buyer adding £20 to the kitty in the process - well done John.

It had been a long day and I reluctantly left before the jam session.

That such enjoyment comes from sadness makes one think and wonder why so many more of the jazz fraternity weren't present ... Lance (Photos © Ken Drew)

2 comments :

Anonymous said...

Ruth’s take on “But Beautiful” brought me to tears….and I know I wasn’t the only one…

Dave said...

Hi Lance
I wish I’d known you were there. I’d have come and said hello.
I also skipped the jam. The lure of a beer in the garden was too strong on such a day.
Cheers
Dave Sayer

Blog Archive