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Bebop Spoken There

Kurt Elling: ''There's something to learn from every musician you play with''. (DownBeat, December 2024).

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

17641 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 915 of them this year alone and, so far, 60 this month (Dec. 26).

From This Moment On ...

December

Mon 30: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Wheatsheaf, Benton Sq., Whitley Road, Palmersville NE12 9SU. Tel: 0191 266 8137. 1:00pm. Free. CANCELLED!
Mon 30: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.

Tue 31: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 12 noon-2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Tue 31: Lapwing Trio @ Wallington (National Trust), Cambo, Morpeth NE61 4AR. 12 noon & 2:00pm. Admission to site £19.00.
Tue 31: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Tue 31: Archie Brown & Friends @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00-8:00pm. Free.
Tue 31: Jan Spencelayh Quartet @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 5:00-9:00pm. A NYE ‘Dinner-Dance’ event. £42.99. Featuring special guest Mick Donnelly.
Tue 31: Jack Logan @ The Robin Hood Inn, East Wallhouses NE18 0LL. Tel: 01434 672549. 7:00pm. £59.95. ‘New Year’s Eve Gala Dinner’. Rat Pack etc.

January 2025

Wed 01: Revolutionaires @ The Old Barrel (Flatties), Boldon Colliery. 3:30pm. Free. Excellent rhythm & blues.

Thu 02: ???

Fri 03: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 03: John Gregory @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar.

Sat 04: Rivkala @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £5.00. Xmas party (rescheduled from early December).

Sun 05: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: Salty Dog @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Americana, jazz & blues.
Sun 05: Papa G’s Troves @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free (donations).

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

Monday, August 15, 2022

Munch Manship Quartet @ the Railway, Stockport - Aug. 14

(© Jeff Pritchard)
Munch Manship (tenor sax/flute/piccolo); Richard Wetherall (piano); Grant Russell (bass); Eryl Roberts (drums).

Munch has been a fixture on the Manchester jazz scene for as long as I can remember which is a pretty long time but he shows no sign of slowing down - I’m glad to say! 


He opened up the concert to an almost full house going straight into a fast hard bop version of that great Clifford Brown composition Joy Spring. The second tune also had the word Spring in the title which was Freddie Hubbard’s Up Jumped Spring that was done in ¾ time as the composer intended.  It has just occurred to me that it might be fun to play a whole evening of tunes with a Spring theme - there are plenty to choose from!


Richard Wetherall made his presence felt on the house piano with some excellent solo work and Grant Russell who was here on Aug. 7, fronting his own quartet, made his second appearance of the month. When he takes a solo he really gives his all! 


Eryl Roberts has played here on countless occasions and he knows what to do in most situations but I can’t recall the last time he backed Munch at this venue. 


One tune that was played which I always think is best when there are two horns involved was Golson’s Along Came Betty and if you’ve ever seen Benny Golson playing this theme alongside his Jazztet colleague trombonist Curtis Fuller you will know what I’m talking about.


One surprising thing that happened during the second set was the final number which I thought would be a tear up tenor sax workout of something like Cherokee but was, instead, Tico-Tico a lively Latin tune which Munch played on piccolo! This however, went down very well with the audience including a couple who, in spite of the hot temperature, could not resist the urge to take to the floor! 


And so another exciting night at the Railway concluded and the next gig is on Tuesday Aug 16 with another sax man Liam Byrne and his quartet. Mike Farmer


Joy Spring; Up Jumped Spring; We’ll be Together Again; Billie’s Bounce; Samba de Orpheus; Jordu; Have You Met Miss Jones?;Windows; Along Came Betty; Tico Tico.

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