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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

17777 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 98 of them this year alone and, so far, 23 this month (Feb.8).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Wed 12: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Jam session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 12: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 13: Student Performances @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 4:00pm. Free. Inc. Olly Styles (tenor sax).
Thu 13: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: Artist Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Hannabiell & Midnight Blue.
Thu 13: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 14: John Rowland Trio @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 12:30-1:30pm. £5.00. at the door. New second Friday in the month concert series.
Fri 14: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 14: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 14: Archipelago + Anna Tempest @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £8.00.
Fri 14: Paul Jones & Dave Kelly @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. Rhythm & blues.
Fri 14: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Fri 14: Jazz Sabbath @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 15: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 15: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 15: Elkie Brooks @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. ‘The Long Farewell Tour’.
Sat 15: Milne Glendinning Band @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 16: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 16: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: BBC Introducing NE X MOBO Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Jambone, Knats, Rivkala, SwanNek.
Sun 16: The Shayo Experience @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 16: Gerry Richardson Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. .

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.

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, October 11, 2022

Blue Train at the Central Bar - Oct. 10

Jamie Toms (tenor sax); Pete Tanton (trumpet); Kieran Parnaby (trombone); Alan Law (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); John Bradford (drums)

Perhaps too few people know about the session. If people are aware of it, they're choosing not to go along on the second Monday in the month. Central Bar, located at the Gateshead end of the High Level Bridge, is home to one of the region's hidden jazz gems. A core quartet/quintet turns up on the night, runs through some of the numbers to be played, then take five at the bar before taking to the stand at half past seven to 'play through' an iconic album. A jam session follows. It's a simple idea and it works.

This evening John Coltrane's 1957 album (released in '58) Blue Train was the challenge. The regulars - Jamie, Alan, Mick and John - co-opted Pete Tanton (Pete as Lee Morgan!) and Kieran Parnaby (Kieran as Curtis Fuller!) and they hit the ground running with the Blue Note album's opening cut, Blue Train. Close your eyes...Jamie Toms as Trane. Yes and no. Jamie is his own man. Yes, respecting the tune, nevertheless putting his own stamp on it. Excellent! And that's what these guys do, they know the albums but play them their way. Imagine Alan Law as Kenny Drew. No way! Alan Law plays it his way and that's the law!

Trumpeter Pete Tanton's versatility gets him the gigs - the viper jazz of House of the Black Gardenia, as one of the horns in the Revolutionaires' r & b expanded band, a fixture in the Strictly Smokin' Big Band's ace trumpet section, his own 'Riviera' small group outings - and here he was, setting aside his ongoing Chet Baker project* to play some blistering hard bop. And to top it off, the Central Bar guys pushed the boat out, drafting in Kieran Parnaby to play the Curtis Fuller parts. 

Mick and John (that's M Shoulder and J Bradford) were, as ever, up to the job. As good a bass and drums pairing as you'll find. The beauty of the Central Bar sessions is the relaxed atmosphere, no one on the stand is looking to blow away band mates, it's a truly supportive setting. A jam session followed. Full marks to recent bass guitar music graduate Snaz for taking the plunge. He'll be back and he's been tipped-off about the Black Swan's jam session (next one, next week, Tuesday 18). The 'select' audience loved it, so much so there was a keen sense of anticipation about the next session. Next month it's Kenny Dorham's 'Round About Midnight at the Cafe Bohemia. Who'll be on trumpet and guitar? An educated guess suggests it'll be...Why not turn up and find out? Monday 14 November, 7:30pm. £5.00. at the door (jam session sitters-in are admitted free of charge).            

Pete Tanton's marvellous 'Chet Baker' set can be heard three times before the month is out - Friday 14 at Bishop Auckland Town Hall (1:00pm), a week on Friday (October 21, 1:00pm) at the Lit & Phil, and on Sunday 30 (8:00pm) at the Globe on Railway Street, Newcastle. Russell

Set list: Blue TrainMoment's NoticeLocomotionI'm Old FashionedLazy Bird.

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