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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

17945 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 266 of them this year alone and, so far, 22 this month (April 8).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Thu 10: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.CANCELLED!
Thu 10: Magpies of Swing @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £7.00. A Globe fundraiser (all proceeds to the venue).
Thu 10: Exhaust: Camila Nebbia/Kit Downes/Andrew Lisle @ Jesmond URC, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:30pm doors). £13.20., £11.00. JNE.
Thu 10: Jeremy McMurray & the Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Feat. guests Ray Dales & Jackie Summers.

Fri 11: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 11: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 11: John Rowland Trio: The Music of Ben Webster @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Rowland (tenor sax); Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass).
Fri 11: Imelda May @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 11: Shunyata Improvisation Group @ Cullercoats Watch House. 7:30-9:00pm. Free (donations).

Sat 12: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 12: Rob Heron & the Tea Pad Orchestra + House of the Black Gardenia + King Bees @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 6:30pm (doors). £18.00.
Sat 12: Bright Street Big Band @ Washington Arts Centre. 6:30pm. £12.00. Event includes swing dance taster session, DJ dance session. Bright Street Big Band on stage 7:30-8:15pm & 8:45-9:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Sat 12: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 12: Imelda May @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £42.20. SOLD OUT!
Sat 12: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 13: Daniel John Martin with Swing Manouche @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 13: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 13: Hejira: A Celebration of Joni Mitchell @ Wylam Brewery, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £22.50.
Sun 13: Wilkinson/Edwards/Noble + Chojnacki @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £13.20., £11.00. JNE.

Mon 14: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 14: Zoë Gilby Quintet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 15: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 16: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 16: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 16: 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

Tuesday, May 10, 2022

Central Bar Quintet plays Miles Davis' Workin' @ Central Bar, Gateshead - May 9

Pete Tanton (trumpet, vocals); Harry Keeble (tenor sax); Alan Law (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); John Bradford (drums) + Abbie Finn (drums); Tom Parry-Jones (drums)

A select crowd assembled on Half Moon Lane to listen to the Central Bar Quintet play the music of Miles Davis' mid-fifties quintet, often described as Davis' first great quintet. The 1956 Prestige album Workin' took centre stage, Pete Tanton charged with the responsibility of 'playing Miles'. Aiding and abetting the genial Tanton were Harry 'John Coltrane' Keeble on tenor sax, and the established house trio of Alan Law, piano, Mick Shoulder, bass, and drummer John Bradford.

The Theme opened the evening's concert set. The quintet finely balanced, Tanton tightly muted. It Never Entered My Mind (Keeble out), a knockout solo from pianist Law on Four, drummer, and MC, John Bradford soloing on Dave Brubeck's In Your Own Sweet Way, this was great stuff. Time to go to the bar then flip the vinyl for side two (the second set).      

Side two: the horns - Tanton and Keeble - blew as if Miles and Trane on Trane's Blues, the Central Bar Quintet well and truly into it. Keeble stepped aside for Alan Law's feature on Ahmad's Blues (Ahmad Jamal), bassist Mick Shoulder soloing as if Paul Chambers! To close, Miles' (Eddie Vinson's) Half Nelson. It had been an excellent recital/recreation/exploration of Workin', one of the Central Bar's best sessions yet. 

The recent run - and oddity - of horn-less jam sessions continued here in Gateshead with just two sitters-in, drummers both. First up, Abbie Finn. Any gig, any jam session, whatever the context, Finn is your woman. And the other drummer in the house, Tom Parry-Jones, impressed, fitting in nicely. Our medical student (what is it about medics and music?) is going to be an asset to the Tyneside jazz scene for the next few years. Check him out. From Miles to Pete Tanton, trumpeter and vocalist, we heard verse and chorus on But Not for Me and Just Friends. It had been an enjoyable concert performance and jam session. June's Central Bar session promises to be a good one, the principals (alto sax and guitar) to be confirmed (Monday 13 June). Russell       
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