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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

Mon 17: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 17: Matt Forster Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance.
Mon 17: Russ Morgan Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law, Paul Grainger, John Hirst.

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.

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, August 20, 2022

St. Cuthbert’s Feast: Jo Harrop and Jamie McCredie @ St. Cuthbert’s Centre, Crook - August 19

(© Jerry E)

Owing to Covid restrictions and periods of exile (voluntary or enforced) I have not been to many live jazz gigs since early in 2020. Tonight’s gig could not have been a better choice to get back into the swing: one of my favourite singers at one of my favourite venues. It was, in the words of the opening number, So Nice to Come Home to.

The reality more than lived up to the expectation: St. Cuthbert’s, Crook, has some of the friendliest regulars anywhere in Bebop-land, not to mention crisps, nuts and candles on every table and pizzas and a raffle at half-time. Meanwhile Jo and Jamie, both on top form, served up two sets of infinite variety to the delight of a packed and attentive crowd.

(© Jerry E)
That’s “variety” as in: styles, composers, performers, arrangements and tempos. In 18 numbers plus an encore, there was nothing repetitive and, bear in mind, not one of those 19 tunes had featured earlier in the day at the Lit & Phil. The review for that gig mentioned Jo’s vocal range (which is indeed remarkable) but also striking is the range of performers whose work she not only performs but makes her own, from squeaky-clean Doris Day to down and dirty Bessie Smith (via Nina Simone, I think, but no less earthy for that)!

Peggy Lee was in there too, and Ella and Lady Day: Jo can do the whole range. There were slow ballads,  show-tunes, “funky versions” (Jo’s words) of GASbook standards, Jobim’s Brazilian rhythms, and very up-tempo versions like I Love Being Here With You delivered at such a lick we could hardly keep up! There were composers from Cole Porter and Ellington to Tom Waits whose Rainbow Sleeves was one of the evening’s highlights.

(© Jerry E)
The common denominator in all this was the quality of the two performers. Many BSH readers will know Jo Harrop and the quality she brings to any event but if, like me, they have not seen Jamie McCredie live, they have missed a treat and should see him at the earliest possible opportunity! He and Jo seem almost telepathic at times enabling seamless performances where each contributes to the story-telling. His solos were at once intricate and beguiling: at times so rapid that you couldn’t help tapping your feet; at other times so melodic and soothing that they seemed as laid back as Jamie himself. His dexterity is such that, however hard I (non-musician) tried to focus on his hands and their movement, I was still left wondering “How did he do that?”

For future reference, Jo has a new album due out this autumn – definitely one to look out for. Meanwhile, Crook has some treats lined up between now and the new year with Abbie Finn (Sept. 16), Paul Edis/Vasilis Xenopoulos  (Oct. 15) and Jazzy Christmas (Dec. 16). Put me down for all of that! Jerry

You'd be so Nice to Come Home to; Tenderly; You Don’t Know What Love Is; On the Street Where You Live; What a Little Moonlight Can Do; Sophisticated Lady; I Want Some Sugar in My Bowl; Rainbow Sleeves; Fine and Mellow; Easy to Love; Once I Loved; Secret Love; Too Late Now; What a Difference a Day Makes; My Foolish Heart; I Love Being Here With You; I Think You’d Better Go; Guilty; Too Close for Comfort.

1 comment :

Russell said...

Jerry, that's two fabulous gigs in a day, then next day (Saturday) our duo wowed a large Newcastle Jazz Festival audience!

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