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Bebop Spoken There

Kurt Elling: ''There's something to learn from every musician you play with''. (DownBeat, December 2024).

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

17655 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 929 of them this year alone and, so far, 74 this month (Dec. 31).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Wed 01: Jason Isaacs @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 2:30-4:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Wed 01: Revolutionaires @ The Old Barrel (Flatties), Boldon Colliery. 3:30pm. Free. Excellent rhythm & blues.

Thu 02: ???

Fri 03: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 03: Jason Isaacs @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 03: John Gregory @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar.

Sat 04: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Square, Middlesbrough. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 04: Rivkala @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £5.00. Xmas party (rescheduled from early December).

Sun 05: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: Salty Dog @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Americana, jazz & blues.
Sun 05: Papa G’s Troves @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free (donations).

Mon 06: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 07: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, North St., Ferryhill DL17 8HX. 7:00pm. 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

Saturday, May 21, 2022

Andrea Vicari Trio @ Opus 4 Jazz Club - May 20

Andrea Vicari (piano); Andy Champion (double bass, bass guitar); Abbie Finn (drums) + Harry Keeble (tenor sax)

Earlier in the day Andrea Vicari played to a capacity audience at the Lit & Phil up the road in Newcastle. Here at the Traveller's Rest in Darlington, Vicari, Andy Champion and Abbie Finn were greeted by an enthusiastic Opus 4 Jazz Club crowd. The lack of a piano at the venue - upright or grand - pressed into action Vicari's well-travelled keyboard. Bassist Champion brought along his electric as well as his trusty double bass. From Think of One to Blues on the Spot, the set list would mirror that of Newcastle plus a whole lot more.

The Monk opener led into Someday My Prince Will Come, almost catching Harry Keeble unawares, our tenor sax man was down to join Vicari on the Frank Churchill/Larry Morey number! Up jumped Keeble, slotting in nicely. The Opus 4 regulars liked what they were hearing, whistles aplenty. The Monkish Tonci's Song got its second outing of the day, whereas jazz harpist Dorothy Ashby's Just Had to Tell Somebody was being heard for the first time (Vicari champions female jazz musicians, past and present). Abbie Finn, very much of the present, played as well as we've come to expect, ditto bassist Andy Champion. 

An undoubted highlight, as it was at lunchtime, took the form of a Vicari party piece, namely the stride patterns of Honeysuckle Rose going into Scrapple from the Apple. Tremendous! It had been a good day's work for Andrea Vicari. If she, Andy and Abbie enjoyed themselves half as much as the Newcastle and Darlington audiences did, the prospect of a return visit in the not-too-distant future seems assured. Russell 

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