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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, April 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

17904 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 225 of them this year alone and, so far, 72 this month (March 24).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Sat 29: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 29: Doris Day Story @ Phoenix Theatre, Blyth. 7:30pm.
Sat 29: Squabble! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 30: Jan Spencelayh & Dave Archbold @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 30: Jamil Sheriff Trio w. Nadim Teimoori @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 30: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 30: Jamil Sheriff Trio w. Nadim Teimoori @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 31: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

APRIL 2025

Tue 01: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Mark Robertson.
Tue 01: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, North St., Ferryhill DL17 8HX. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 02: Lauren Bush: The Jazz Singer’s Toolkit @ The Pele, Corbridge. 1:00-4:00pm. Vocalist Lauren Bush with pianist Jamil Sheriff presents a jazz singing workshop. £40.00. (inc. evening concert, see below). Registration required for workshop: www.laurenbushjazz.com. All ability levels welcome.
Wed 02: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 02: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 2:30-4:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Wed 02: Lauren Bush & Jamil Sheriff @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00-9:00pm. £10.00. Concert performance. Tickets: www.laurenbushjazz.com.
Wed 02: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 02: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. POSSIBLE CANCELLATION. See website for updates: www.theglobenewcastle.bar.

Thu 03: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Women in Jazz.
Thu 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 03: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. A Tees Hot Club promotion. First Thursday in the month.

Fri 04: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 04: Ruth Lambert Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Fri 04: Tom McGuire & the Brassholes @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00.
Fri 04: Nicolas Meier’s Infinity Group + Spirit of Jeff Beck @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm.

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

Tuesday, September 27, 2022

Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music 2022: Skylla + Pete Wareham, Ruth Goller, Will Glaser @ Bobiks,The Punch Bowl, Jesmond - Sept. 25

(© Ken Drew)
Skylla - Ruth Goller(bass, vocals); Lauren Kinsella, Alice Grant (vocals).

Pete Wareham (sax, flute, electronics); Ruth Goller(bass, vocals); Will Glaser (drums)

The festival's second night at Bobiks was a very serious affair. Deeply heavy improvised music with little or no chat from anyone on stage. However, since this was The Guardians of the Underworld maybe it was time for acute listening rather than two way communication.

(© Ken Drew)
The evening began with Ruth Goller’s Skylla - the title of her first solo album. The name Skylla is referenced  from the Scylla a mythical 6 headed female sea monster which guards  a narrow strait with fellow monster Charybdis hence the expression ‘between Scylla and Charybdis’ means ‘the lesser of two evils’ or  ‘between a banjo and a sousaphone’ for  this festival’s attendees.


For the live tour, singers Lauren Kinsella and Alice Grant are added to group which assumes the album's  Skylla name .  The trio entered stage all in black sporting paper animal head masks creating an atmospheric vibe.

The music was haunting and  spiritual. I detected folk, choral, jazz and  Bulgarian throat influences. Goller is one of Europe’s  leading improvising bass players so it was no surprise that her bass was providing an excellent canvas from which all 3 singers were able to improvise both in harmony and as soloists.  A moving and rewarding experience for those present'


(© Ken Drew)
Goller returned  with the second band of the evening who sadly were not called Charybdis but went under the name of their 3 constituentsA rollercoaster of a set followed from loud cataclysmic driving music to gentle subtle flute playing. The constant use of electronic trickery was a feature of this set and there was plenty of loop the loop. Glaser’s drumming was powerful and relentless at times. Goller carried on from where she left off with strident bass lines and some gentle vocals. Wareham was a maelstrom of activity: spoken word, flute, electronics and of course saxophone which  on several occasions he inserted the microphone into the bell of the sax.

After a pulsating set full of intrigue and power with enough nuance to keep the listener constantly enthralled and entertained it came to a close. I resisted the  temptation to ask for ‘One more tune’. Steve H

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