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HOWAY THE LADS!

Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: '' A Love Supreme coincided with my search for meaning in life". (DownBeat, March 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

17873 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 194 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (March 14).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Sun 16: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 16: Pearl Blossoms @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Ragtime.
Sun 16: Hot 8 Brass Band @ Wylam Brewery. 7:30pm. ‘Big Tuba Tour’.
Sun 16: ARQ @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 16: Air4ce @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 8:30pm (8:00pm doors). £12.00.; £10.00. Tom Atkinson’s all-star band (line-up inc. Lindsay Hannon & Sue Ferris).
Sun 16: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 17: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 17: Jamie Toms Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Laurence Harrison, Paul Grainger, Tim Johnston.
Tue 18: Phil Bancroft’s Beautiful Storm @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £13.20 & £11.00.. A JNE-Gem Arts co-promotion.

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: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Nicknames.
Thu 20: Terri Green Experience @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £15.90.
Thu 20: Lindsay Hannon Trio @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Hannon’s ‘Tom Waits for No Man’ set.
Thu 20: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:30pm. Free.

Fri 21: Paul Skerritt @ 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: Giles Strong Quartet @ 1719, Hendon, Sunderland. 7:30pm. CANCELLED!
Fri 21: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Featuring special guest Martin Litton (piano).

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: Swamp Stomp String Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Sat 22: Rivkala @ 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: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Mississippi MacDonald @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. Blues.
Sun 23: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: The Great Deceivers @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Tom Atkinson & co play King Crimson (1969-1974). Atkinson (guitar); Josh Bentham (alto sax); Stu Dawson (bass); Jeff Armstrong (drums).

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

Wednesday, September 07, 2022

The Good Times Rolled at the Black Swan Jam last night - Sept. 6

James Harrison (keys/drums/daft carry on); Paul Grainger (bass); Tom Chapman (drums) + Harry Keeble (tenor sax); Esther Coombes (alto sax/clarinet); Haaruun Miller (alto/sop sax); Nigel Greenwood (alto sax); David Gray (trombone/vocals); Edgar Bell (cornet); Ben Phillips (keys); Alex Shipsey (bass guitar); ? (guitar); Felix Parkin-Christie, Kris Finney, Abbie Finn (drums); Ian Drever, Niffi Osiyemi, Paul Skerritt, Sheila Herrick (vocals) - there may have been more...

Nobody sleeps when James Harrison's on board! He plays every number as if it's the grand finale. He sits, he stands, he jumps up and down and, if he had a hat he'd be pulling rabbits out by the dozen! OTT? Most definitely. However, in between all these outrageous antics (which included a drum duet) he plays some mighty fine piano and it has to be said his playing inspired some of tonight's jammers to reach their highest level ever.

As can be seen from the cast of thousands listed above a blow by blow account of each and every one would make War and Peace seem like an editorial in the Shields Gazette so, rather than offend by omission, I won't... except to say that the final blast with Niffi and Paul (Skerritt) duking it out on Let the Good Times Roll with the horns riffing was memorable to say the least. Also, Sheila's additional lyrics to Every Day I Have the Blues gave the number a new dimension and Ben Phillips' Night and Day offered a sobering contrast to James' pianistics. David Gray was in actual fact nicknamed 'Showtime' by James which, upon reflection, was a case of the kettle calling the frying pan. David is fast becoming as renowned a vocalist as he is a slideman as he proved on Misty.

Ed Bell raised his game on the final jam, Esther is rapidly becoming a contender on both alto and gobbo, Felix listens and learns, Nigel played Come Sunday (on Tuesday), Harry gets Tubbier (as in Hayes) every session, Haaruun blew fine alto and did ok on soprano. Nice to see Alex on bass guitar - it's been awhile - Ian Drever threatened to shatter the crystal ball but, after the knobs were twiddled, the balance was better for One For my Baby. As well as Felix, Tom, Kris and Abbie ensured that the ship stayed afloat. 

Good to see some new faces as well as some - I won't say older - others such as James' parents. It was a grand night and, as always, a big thank you to Paul Grainger for keeping the jam going - Lance.

PHOTOS (by Lance unless otherwise stated).

2 comments :

Elaine Harrison said...

Really enjoy your write ups, Lance.
It was great to see you and to be there enjoying the atmosphere 🥰

Patti Durham (on F/b) said...

What a blast this was! A storming session - I'm still amazed that the piano stool survived James's acrobatics!

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