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Bebop Spoken There

Steve Coleman: ''If you don't keep learning, your mind slows down. Use it or lose it''. (DownBeat, January 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

17733 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 53 of them this year alone and, so far, 53 this month (Jan. 20).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Sat 25: Boys of Brass @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:30-5:30pm. Free.
Sat 25: New '58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson's Wharf, Hartlepool. 6:30pm (doors). Free. A Burns' Night event. Jazz, swing, funk, soul, blues etc.
Sat 25: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 25: Red Kites Jazz @ Parish Hall, St Barnabas’ Church, Rowlands Gill. 7:30pm. £10.00. BYOB (tea & coffee available), raffle. Proceeds to St Barnabas’ Church. Performance feat. Shayo (vocals).
Sat 25: Jack & Jay’s Songbook @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Graham Hardy Eclectic Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 26: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 26: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:30pm. Free.
Sun 26: Gratkowski, Tramontana, Beresford, Affifi @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.
Sun 26: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 27: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 27: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 28: ???

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Thu 30: Matters Unknown (aka Jonathan Enser, Nubiyan Twist) + support TBA @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £12.22 (gig & food); £9:04 (gig only).
Thu 30: Soznak @ The Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 30: Struggle Buggy @ Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Rhythm & blues.

Fri 31: Alan Barnes Quartet @ The Old Library, Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 12 noon-2:00pm (two sets). £12.00. admission (card or cash at the door). Barnes (alto sax, baritone sax, clarinet); Alan Law (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums). Note change of venue, no longer at Mrs M’s as advertised, the concert will be in the Old Library (Bishop Auckland Jazz’s regular venue). Important! It’s a ‘BYOB’ arrangement - ie bring your own booze (and/or tea, coffee, soft drinks).
Fri 31: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 31: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 31: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 31: Café Orkestar @ Café Under the Spire, Gateshead. 6:00pm. ‘Klezmer, Gypsy Jazz, Balkan & More!’.
Fri 31: Nothing in Rambling @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £10.00. + bf. Country blues duo.
Fri 31 Zoë Gilby Quartet @ Wylam Institute. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £15.00. + £1.50. bf.
Fri 31: Creakin’ Bones & the Sunday Dinners @ White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £10.00 + bf. Jazz, blues , jump jive, rock ‘n’ roll.
Fri 31: Alan Barnes Quartet @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £15.00 Barnes (alto sax, baritone sax, clarinet); Alan Law (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 31: SwanNek + Rivkala @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 8:00pm. SwanNek’s new single launch gig. Pilgrim, formerly Hoochie Coochie.

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, July 09, 2022

The Simon Spillett Big Band @ Wigan Jazz Festival - July 8

The Village on the Green in Aspull welcomed a capacity audience to the opening concert at this year's Wigan Jazz Festival. To describe the Simon Spillett Big Band as 'all-star' doesn't do justice to the calibre of musician on stage. Spillett, an A-list attraction in his own right, has assembled an amazing band, chock full of fellow A-listers, all sections comprising band leaders and featured soloists. 

Opening with Dear Johnny B, the concert, from beginning to end, would feature the music of Tubby Hayes (Hayes the composer, Hayes the arranger, Hayes the soloist). The first of many blistering solos during the evening fell to Sam Mayne (alto sax) and Steve Fishwick (trumpet). Many in the audience had come from far and wide to hear Spillett's band and this first number confirmed/reaffirmed their faith in Tubby Hayes and Simon Spillett.

Much of the set list was drawn from Tubbs' Tours and 100% Proof. Spillett's scholarly work on Hayes shone through, both in his playing (blistering tenor solos on Hayes' arrangement of Milestones and Seven Steps to Heaven, but two instances) and in his erudite commentary on Hayes, the man and his music. As MD, Spillett lead the band with boundless energy and vigour, the love for his subject - Tubby Hayes - shining through. 

And what of the band? In a word: Wow! The trumpets, the aforementioned Steve Fishwick, alongside Mark Armstrong, last minute dep Simon Finch, and top C maestro Bruce Adams. The 'bones...all top guys - Mark Nightingale, Andy Flaxman, Ian Bateman (featured on Blues for Bloody Morag) and Pete North. The not-too-shabby reeds...go along the line - Alan Barnes on baritone, the altos of Pete Long and Sam Mayne, and the tenor saxophonists Robert Fowler and Karen Sharp. The latter two trading on Sonnymoon for Two making for a show-stopping finale. 

Rhythm sections don't come better than this - Robin Aspland at the Steinway depping for Rob Barron, the imperious Alec Dankworth, bass, and big band drummer par excellence, Pete Cater. The Simon Spillett Big Band at Wigan will live long in the memory. More immediately, catch the band tomorrow (Sunday) at the Swanage Jazz Festival. 

Simon Spillett Big Band: Simon Spillett (MD, tenor sax); Mark Armstrong, Simon Finch, Steve Fishwick, Bruce Adams (trumpets); Mark Nightingale, Andy Flaxman, Ian Bateman, Pete North (trombones); Sam Mayne, Pete Long, Robert Fowler, Karen Sharp, Alan Barnes (reeds); Robin Aspland (piano); Alec Dankworth (double bass); Pete Cater (drums)

Set list: Dear Johnny BAs Close as You ArePedro's WalkBluesology; SourayaMilestonesShe Insulted Me in MarrakeshSong for a Sad LadyTake Your Partners for the BluesRussian RouletteThe ScandinavianBlues for Bloody MoragPeaceSeven Steps to HeavenSolweig ; Sonnymoon for Two.

1 comment :

"Jazz Lives" @ WordPress.com said...

Hooray for the noble Simon and his bandmates! Well-deserved on all fronts. And backs.

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