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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.

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!

Thu 17: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Only Six Standards.
Thu 17: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 18: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 18: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 18: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.

Fri 18: Alexia Gardner @ Fika Gallery, Oldgate, Morpeth NE61 1LT. 7:00pm. Trio (Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy).RESCHEDULED FOR JUNE 13

Fri 18: Sarah Jane Morris & Tony Remy: The Sisterhood @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £25.00.

Sat 19: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-3:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 19: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 19: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 20: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 20: Salty Dog @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 20: Spilt Milk @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 20: Tweed River Jazz Band @ The Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 20: C.A.L.I.E @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

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 03, 2022

Cheltenham Jazz Festival: Paul Dunmall Quartet @ Parabola Arts Centre - May 1.

Paul Dunmall (tenor, soprano sax); Liam Noble (piano); John Edwards (double bass); Mark Sanders (drums).

Is it really three years since we were last in Cheltenham?!

 

As preparation for this gig I bought my first Dunmall album and streamed another on the way down. So far so good and the gig was essentially more of the same. I like free jazz but maintain what I consider healthy scepticism. It’s all about making it up as they go along, though within tried and tested motifs, licks, riffs, melodies, rhythms, harmonies, timbre, textures etc. This isn’t necessarily a criticism and some say the music’s child-like, which isn’t necessarily a criticism either.


I think it’s necessary to distinguish between free jazz and total improvisation, the latter commonly mistaken for the former where instruments associated with jazz are used. In my view, the latter is simply the naked emperor doodling, but this band  certainly weren’t that. A standard saxophone quartet and this was definitely jazz, encompassing the music’s rich history, startling musicianship and plenty of soul.

They started out with Dunmall on soprano and Edwards playing bowed bass, enabling them to change the dynamics twice, firstly by ditching the bow and then by switching to tenor. Lots of juxtaposition between quiet and rousing moments and between pairings of the musicians, responding to each other's new directions masterfully. Inventive drumming and use of percussion can be crucial and Sanders was all over it.

 

We’d only just arrived in Cheltenham and hit the ground running so, with the next show starting precisely when this one finished, we made an early exit. I can think of people in my native north east who would have given their eye teeth to have been here, who’d no doubt also claim that I’d missed all sorts of things, but to me, while the claim is that it’s always different, and on one level it is, to these ears it always ends up sounding the same.


This music is all about a one-off, never to be repeated event and doesn’t necessarily benefit from repeated listening – again not necessarily a bad thing - so could benefit as the industry increasingly moves from CD to streaming.

 

A few years ago I saw Archie Shepp deliver some riveting free-jazz at Cheltenham, which ranks with the greatest live music I’ve ever heard, but, I’ve also heard improvised music which I found unlistenable and insulting. This was neither, though I could have happily stayed til the end, but Mrs T – more selective about her jazz - was less keen. Steve T  

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