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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

Mon 10: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 11: Steve Summers Quintet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm.

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: 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.
Sun 16: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

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, October 05, 2022

Jam session @ the Black Swan part one - Oct. 4

Dean Stockdale (piano); Paul Grainger (bass); Tim Johnston (drums) + Richard Rutherford (bass guitar); John Pope  (bass); Abbie Finn, Kris Finney, Felix Parkin-Crispin (drums); Harry Keeble (tenor sax); Haaruun Miller (alto sax); Jacob Egglestone (guitar); Jan Spencelayh, Ian Drever, Kay De'Ath (vocals); Murray Wankling  (piano); Ray Burns (harmonica).

The lights were low, in fact some were nonexistent, was this the energy crisis kicking in? However, it did add to the jazz club aura - all that was missing was the smoke - and the opening set by the house trio maintained that Oscar Peterson at Birdland feeling by posing questions such as Have You Met Miss Jones? and How Deep is the Ocean? as well as a rather drawn out Body and Soul that seemed to incorporate a lot of the keyboard's black notes.

Paul Grainger, who rarely gets a break at these impromptu occasions got two tonight the first one being when Richard Rutherford took to the stand with a 5 string, long neck, 'lecky' bass.

He got a good groove going on Sissy Strut and Mercy, Mercy, Mercy - impressed!

Impressive too was the heir apparent tenor king Keeble. In a Mellotone was taken faster than Duke's original intent whilst the Autumn Leaves didn't just drift by my window they flew! Mrs Keeble to be also drummed up a storm. Needless to say Stockdale and the refreshed Grainger held their ground.

Time for some singing. Jan did Norah Jones proud with Don't Know Why and Big Mama Thornton's Hound Dog would surely have had that lady's approval as I'm sure that cat Felix also would have - he gets better and better every session.

PG once again vacated the stand entrusting his db to JP, seemingly still in one piece after the weekend's improv festival.

Now many have debated as to whether Sinatra and (Tony) Bennett are or are not jazz singers. Ian Drever's rendering of Come Fly With me and The Good Life made a strong case for the no faction. 

That fine young guitarist Egglestone, Felix and, later, the inscrutable Kris Finney joined Dean and John for a couple of meandering numbers that, despite an excellent bass solo and and an extended drum workout by Kris never quite got off the ground.

The great, the good and their next door neighbours have all, for some unfathomable reason, had a go at Summertime. Equally surprising is how Ella Fitzgerald managed to make a hit out of that most mundane of Cole Porter's many songs Every Time we Say Goodbye

With Murray on piano Kay De'Ath, who, on her previous visit had impressed me with her version of Stormy Weather, elected to sing those two (in my opinion) also rans and, despite the presence of Haaruun on alto and some 'mouthie' from Ray Burns, did nothing to change that opinion.

It was at this point I had to leave - buses to be missed, trains to be caught, domestic issues to be attended to however, the saga will continue via Russell - Lance

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