Bebop Spoken There

Ron Carter quoting Sonny Rollins: ''What we call jazz - that's keeping the world in equilibrium. I don't care what kind of music you like out here today. It all comes from jazz.'' (DownBeat August, 2026)

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

18799 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 663 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 12) 32.

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

From This Moment On

August

Sat 15: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 15: Jake Leg Jug Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £16.26.

Sun 16: Vintage Explosion @ Cliffe Park, Roker, Sunderland SR6 8DB. 5:00-10:30pm. £44.00 (inc. bf).

Mon 17: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 20: Edson Angus Quartet @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 20: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Fri 21: Andrzej Baranek Trio @ The Lit & Phil. 1:00pm. £8.00. Andrzej Baranek (piano); Josh Cavanagh-Brierley (double bass); Dave Walsh (drums). SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: David Gray Flextet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.
Fri 21: Errol Linton & His Band + Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. Excellent blues double bill.

Wednesday, June 15, 2022

Paul Hartley Quartet featuring John Hallam @ the Railway, Stockport - June 14

(© Jeff Pritchard)
John Hallam (tenor/baritone sax/clarinet); Paul Hartley (guitar); Ken Marley (bass); Eryl Roberts (drums).

Lots of tunes were played tonight. Most were standards and I made the total fourteen. John gave all his instruments equal exposure and if I was asked which one I preferred I would say the baritone sax. I liked his playing on There Will Never be Another You and also You’re Driving me Crazy  - a tune you don’t hear too often these days.

               

He played tenor sax on an Erroll Garner number Shake it or Break it and I liked his tenor solo on East of the Sun which was done as a bossa nova. I thought his clarinet could have done with some amplification but he sounded good on the tune Robbin’s Nest. A composition by pianist Sir Charles Thompson which was a big hit for co-composer Illinois Jacquet back in the 1940s.


Paul Hartley’s trio did a first class job backing Hallam and I would like to mention the excellent bass work of Ken Marley and also the drummer Eryl Roberts who always keeps things swinging. I suppose tonights music could be classed as mainstream although there was one bebop excursion with Hallam's version of Sonny Stitt’s Blues Walk.

                 

The next jazz gig at the Railway is on Sunday June 19 with the Dean Stockdale Trio - Mike Farmer

 

It’s You or no One For me; Topsy; I’ve Got a Feeling I’m Falling; Robbin's Nest; There Will Never be Another You; Dream a Little Dream of me; Whispering; Blues Walk; Shake It or Break It; Love me or Leave Me; East of the Sun; You’re Driving me Crazy; Lullaby of the Leaves; Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea.

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