Bebop Spoken There

Ron Carter quoting Sonny Rollins: ''What we call jazz - that's keeping the world in equilibrium. I don't care what kind of music you like out here today. It all comes from jazz.'' (DownBeat August, 2026)

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

18799 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 663 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 12) 32.

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

From This Moment On

August

Sat 15: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 15: Jake Leg Jug Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £16.26.

Sun 16: Vintage Explosion @ Cliffe Park, Roker, Sunderland SR6 8DB. 5:00-10:30pm. £44.00 (inc. bf).

Mon 17: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 20: Edson Angus Quartet @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 20: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Fri 21: Andrzej Baranek Trio @ The Lit & Phil. 1:00pm. £8.00. Andrzej Baranek (piano); Josh Cavanagh-Brierley (double bass); Dave Walsh (drums). SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: David Gray Flextet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.
Fri 21: Errol Linton & His Band + Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. Excellent blues double bill.

Thursday, September 29, 2022

Laura Jurd's Big Friendly Album Tour @ Sage Gateshead - Sept. 28

Laura Jurd (cornet, piano); Martin Lee Thompson (euphonium); Danielle Price (tuba); Alex Haines (guitar); Ruth Goller (bass); Corrie Dick (drums)  

The best laid schemes of mice and men do indeed oft gang awry and tonight was no exception. Laura Jurd 8:00pm - 10:00pm book a taxi for 10:10pm what could possibly gang aft agley?

Well, someone in their wisdom decided that a half hour spot from a non-jazz singer/songwriter would whet the jazz audience's appetite and, in doing so,  put my schedule out of sync - time, tides and taxis wait for no one.

So, although I missed the last 30 minutes of the band's 90 minutes set what I did hear was brilliantly executed. It was exciting, inventive, mega original and fun.

Imagine if, back in the day when collieries had brass bands or, for that matter bands had collieries, Miles had teamed up with Harton Colliery Brass Band instead of Gil Evans the end result may have been similar. Me an' Wor Lass as opposed to Porgy and Bess!

The euph and the tuba made for a perfect blend with Laura's cornet and offered an acceptable alternative to a row of saxophones. Add her distinctive piano style to her Milesian cornet sound, impressive bass by the ubiquitous Ruth Geller, rockish guitar from Haines and some New Orleans drumming from Corrie Dick and you have a band for today - the Rebirth of the Cool!

The whole shebang was the second date of a tour promoting her current digital/vinyl release THE BIG FRIENDLY ALBUM.



Imogen Bose (vocals/guitar)
opened the show. A nice singer, good songs and a pleasing personality that at any other time would have been fine. Well worth checking out in a more appropriate setting - Lance

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