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Bebop Spoken There

Van Morrison: ''Basically, I'm coming from jazz. Not pop, not rock, not what's commercial. That's where I started, and that's still where I am. I feel the same as I did when I was listening to Louis Armstrong, Lead Belly, Jelly Roll Morton''. (The Northern Echo, 12 June 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

1803759 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 480 of them this year alone and, so far, 58 this month (June 18).

From This Moment On ...

JUNE 2025

Sat 21: Jason Holcomb Jazz Ensemble @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 5:30-7:30pm. Free. A 'Sunderland Year of Music' event.
Sat 21: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 21: Red Kites Jazz @ Staithes Café, Dunston. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Sat 21: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 22: Phoenix 4 @ Wallington, Northumberland. 12 noon-1:00pm & 2:00-3:00pm. Tel: 01670 773606. National Trust admission prices apply. ‘Tunes in the Blooms’.
Sun 22: Lapwing Trio @ Wallington, Northumberland. 1:00-2:00pm. Tel: 01670 773606. National Trust admission prices apply. ‘Tunes in the Blooms’.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Jason Isaacs Trio @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 4:00pm. £18.00. + £1.08 bf.
Sun 22: JazzMain @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 23: MSK Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance.
Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club (1:00pm). Free.

Tues 24: ???

Wed 25: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 25: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 25: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 25: The Magpies of Swing @ The Roxy, Leadgate, Co. Durham. 7:30pm. A Ginger Jitterbugs swing dance event, all welcome.

Thu 26: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Brass Instruments & the use of mutes.

Fri 27: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm.
Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 27: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 8:00pm. ‘Time After Time’.

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

Friday, September 16, 2022

Jeff Barnhart @ the Lit and Phil - Sept. 16

Jeff Barnhart (piano, vocals)

Pianist, composer, arranger, vocalist, Jeff Barnhart is all of these things and more and today, in Newcastle, he played to a capacity audience at The Lit and Phil’s monthly lunchtime concert series. This was another in the series that sold out weeks in advance and it didn’t take long to see why.

Internationally renowned and playing jazz clubs and festivals all over the world, Barnhart, from Mystic Connecticut, was both entertaining and informative. An authority on early 20th century piano players, the audience was treated to a selection of ragtime,  stride and swing by a virtuoso player who is witty and personable and who obviously gets a kick out of what he does for a living.  He played, he sang, he whistled and he gave a master class in what it means to be an entertainer. At times his left hand appeared to be just a blur and I couldn’t have been the only one in the audience who wondered at times just how many hands this man had!

Each number was preceded by a short anecdote about the piece and I, for one, came away with a much greater appreciation of the genre such is Barnhart’s skill as an educator.

A recent review claims: “When it comes to talent, speed, versatility, creativity, mastery of multiple genres and just plain entertaining zaniness, Jeff Barnhart stands alone”

The ovation he received showed that the full house at the Lit and Phil couldn’t have agreed more. Sylvia

Maple Leaf Rag; The Entertainer; Charleston Rag, I’m Just Wild About Harry;
Frog-i-More Rag; 2:19 Blues; Old Fashioned Love; Ain’t Misbehavin';, Sweet Georgia Brown plus a short piece (who’s title I didn’t catch ) from a beautiful Barnhart composition Peace Prayer.

1 comment :

Nigel P said...

The review of this gig could not be bettered.

I was especially struck by the value JB placed upon the function of melody in the music of the era under scrutiny, chiming for me with the recent performance at the Globe by Michael Moore.
A very enjoyable way to spend a lunchtime, and my only wish would be for JB to have been given an extra half hour to round out his set list in full and to enable him to dwell a little longer upon each of the artists whose work he focussed upon.
Nigel P.
PS: My apologies to Sylvia for missing 'not' out of the opening sentence on my original post!

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