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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

17805 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 126 of them this year alone and, so far, 51 this month (Feb.16).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Jazz Milestones - 1975.
Thu 20: Renegade Brass Band @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 20: Orange Claw Hammer + Peony @ The Globe, Newcastle.7:30pm. Orange Claw Hammer play Captain Beefheart.
Thu 20: Jeremy McMurray & the Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Featuring special guest Zoë Gilby.

Fri 21: JazzMain @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 21: Joe Steels Trio @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £10.00. TBC.
Fri 21: Emma Rawicz w. Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30pm-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 22: Mississippi MacDonald @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm. Blues.
Sat 22: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Old Cinema Laundrette, Durham. 7:45pm. £16.50. SOLD OUT!
Sat 22: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sun 23: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 23: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Mark Williams Trio @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 23: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 23: Mississippi MacDonald @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. Blues.
Sun 23: Mu Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 23: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 24: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 24: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 25: ?

Wed 26: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 26: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 26: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

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 22, 2022

Newcastle Jazz Festival (day four): Emma Rawicz - August 21

(© Malcolm Sinclair)
Emma Rawicz (tenor sax, soprano sax, flute); Dean Stockdale (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); Dave McKeague (drums)

The festival's closing concert performance featured Emma Rawicz, recipient of the All Party Parliamentary Jazz Appreciation Group's 2022 'Newcomer of the Year' award. An APPJAG award could/should generate much welcome publicity and Ms Rawicz arrived on Tyneside with quite a reputation to live up to. It begged the question: Would she meet expectations? The house trio for the occasion - Messrs Dean Stockdale, Andy Champion and Dave McKeague - met Rawicz earlier in the day for a one-off rehearsal ahead of an early evening set. A Royal Academy student headlining a jazz festival, no pressure...

Opening up on soprano sax, the word 'blistering' sprung to mind as Rawicz tore into Joe Henderson's A Shade of Jade. This was one impressive calling card. What's more, Rawicz' band mates for the occasion were right there in the fast lane with her (Andy Champion reaffirming his A-list status with a stunning solo)! Switching to tenor sax we heard In Walked Bud. No question about it, the Royal Academy student can play, then some! Drummer Dave McKeague set up a New Orleans' shuffle on April in Paris (Kurt Elling's take on the number a reference point for Rawicz) which developed into a funk-to-swing-to-funk number. Rawicz informed the Tyne Bank audience she was playing Vernon Duke's composition in public for the first time - you'd never have known it!

On her own composition Vera (for her grandmother) we heard the festival headliner playing flute. The tag 'multi-instrumentalist' could be applied to Rawicz! Excellent! On tenor once more for Sonny Rollins' Airegin and again on Body and Soul, Rawicz was acquiring new fans by the minute. To close a marvellous set, Rawicz chose to play A Weaver of Dreams. Superb musicianship all round, pianist Dean Stockdale fleetingly quoting Singin' in the Rain. The Newcastle Jazz Festival audience wanted to hear more. Ms Rawicz was happy to oblige, leaving all trailing in her wake with an 'eyeballs out' take on Impressions. Russell        
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2 comments :

Abbie said...

She finished on Yes or No Russell, not Impressions. Cracking gig!

Monday, August 22, 2022 8:20:00 pm
Russell said...

Thanks, Abbie. I was thinking was it Wayne Shorter? Great tune and a canny gig!

Monday, August 22, 2022 8:53:00 pm

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