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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

Thursday, May 12, 2022

The Bold Big Band @ The Black Swan, Newcastle - May 11

Other than this year's Great North Big Band Jazz Festival, December 2019 was the last time the Bold Big Band gave a full concert performance. From past experience we knew what to expect, not for nothing is the Newcastle based ensemble called the Bold Big Band! MD Danny Wilson presided over affairs, the band kicking off in style with a typically rip-roaring Caravan. The audience, comprised almost exclusively of Newcastle University undergraduates, liked what was on offer and applause would ring out solo after solo for the remainder of the evening.

The Bold Big Band is made up of Newcastle University undergraduates and alumni. It was noted just how settled the line-up is, no mean feat considering the pandemic and graduating students moving on. Indeed, for the first two of three sets, guitarist James Cuxson sat in the rhythm section sight-reading the charts having earlier in the day travelled up from Leeds. The usual names - composers and arrangers - featured throughout the evening: Gordon Goodwin, Tom Kubis, Erik Morales, Sammy Nestico et al. 

Tom Alcorn (a final year student?) played some blistering trumpet and flugelhorn, alto saxophonist Jacob Lightfoot stepped up as principal soloist in the reeds, Bertie Marks and Alex Utting prominent among the trombones, and southpaw guitarist James Cuxson contributed some fine work (his journey north well worthwhile). The drummers, yes, two of them, fine big band drummers both, rotated on the drum stool: medic Dan Arenstein and Caleb (is it Caleb Durant?).      
            
Pianist Harry Knott had plenty of dots to read, as did the rest of the band. We rarely, if ever, see Knott, and some of the others, at jam sessions. More's the pity. Recent graduate Ifedi Osiyemi is still around and this evening he played his usual dual role of bassist and vocalist. On the vocal numbers (The Lady is a Tramp and L-O-V-E.) Osiyemi came down front, first Cuxson taking over on bass (as a left-hander playing the instrument upside down!), then, third set, fellow guitarist Ben Davies* (orthodox right-hander) similarly played bass as Osiyemi sang. The Bold Big Band is an entertaining, not to mention accomplished, outfit. The band went out where it came in - blowing the roof off - on Gordon Goodwin's Count Bubba.    

Ben Davies late arrival was down to the fact he had a gig earlier in the evening, MD Wilson saying the guitarist's services are in great demand.  Russell     

Tom Alcorn, Danny Wilson, Thomas ?, Oli Presland (trumpets); Jacob Lightfoot (alto sax, clarinet), Emma ? (alto sax, clarinet), Cristina ? (tenor sax, clarinet), ? (tenor sax), Brian Wicks (baritone sax); ? (trombone), Bertie Marks (trombone), Alex Utting (trombone), ? (trombone); James Cuxson (guitar, bass guitar); Harry Knott (piano); Ifede Osiyemi (bass guitar, vocals); Caleb ? (drums), Dan Arenstein (drums) + Ben Davies (guitar, bass guitar)

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