Bebop Spoken There

Melissa Aldana: ''Having to play a ballads album, which is something very revealing for a saxophone player, would help me to question some new aspects of how to go deeper into sound." (DownBeat May, 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

18621 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 485 of them this year alone and, so far this month (June 14) 37

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

June

Wed 17: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 17: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 17: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 18: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 18: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 18: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 18: 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 19: Joe Steels Group @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 19: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 19: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 19: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 19: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 19: Ferg’s Imaginary Big Band @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £14.33., £11.16., £8.00.
Fri 19: Martin Litton @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. £13.01 (inc. bf); £6.50 (inc. bf); £15.00 on the door. Solo piano. CANCELLED!
Fri 19: Jools Holland’s R&B Orchestra @ Hippodrome, Darlington. 7:30pm. Joe Webb support set.
Fri 19: Hot Club du Nord @ Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 19: Jive Aces: The Roots of Rock & Roll @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £20.00 + bf.

Sat 20: Tyne Valley Big Band @ Tynedale Beer Festival, Corbridge. 5:00-6:00pm.
Sat 20: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 20: Red Kites Jazz @ Staithes Café, Dunston. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Sat 20: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Trinity Church, Gosforth, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00. NCRO w. guests Dean Stockdale & Nick Ward.

Sun 21: From Lagos to Longbenton: Unity in the Community @ Sunderland Minster. From 1:30pm. Free. A multi-bill Unity in the Community event, inc. From Lagos to Longbenton.
Sun 21: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 21: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free. Trio w. Graham Hardy.
Sun 21: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Magpies of Swing @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 22: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 23: Alan Law Trio @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free.
Tue 23: Jude Murphy & Dan Stanley @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Tuesday, October 18, 2022

Sue Ferris-Steve Summers Quartet: Two of a Mind @ Blaydon Jazz Club - Oct. 17

(© Roly Veitch)
Steve Summers (alto sax); Sue Ferris (baritone sax); Andy Champion (double bass); Rob Walker (drums)

Steve Summers had an idea. He thought a Gerry Mulligan-Paul Desmond set would go down well with audiences and for some months he gently nudged, if not badgered, Sue Ferris, suggesting they should step out of the Strictly Smokin' Big Band's reeds to front a piano-less quartet. A first outing at the Globe in Newcastle more than met expectations and further gigs would surely follow. Fast forward a few months to a Monday evening at the Black Bull, Blaydon and a renewal of their partnership.

Mulligan and Desmond recorded Two of a Mind in 1962 and this Verve recording would form the basis of the evening's programme. Bassist Andy Champion and drummer Rob Walker joined our duo to play through most of the album. All the Things You Are opened this evening's concert, the cleverly named Blight of the Fumble Bee followed and from there on the album's running order wasn't strictly adhered to. Ferris as Mulligan worked a treat, our diminutive saxophonist taming the big beast that is the baritone sax. Summers as Desmond wasn't slavish imitation, far from it, this was the Strictly Smokin's alto saxophonist putting his stamp on the material. The two principals' interlocking improvisations were a joy to listen to.   

Mulligan's Line for Lyons (recorded with Chet Baker) isn't on the Two of a Mind album but it slotted into the evening's set list quite nicely. Andy Champion's sight-reading of the charts was nothing less than exemplary, and Rob Walker's one previous outing with the quartet made him something of a veteran! 

The second set drew on the spirit, if not the material, of the Mulligan-Desmond collaborations. Ferris' flute, bass and drums trio take on Desmond's Bossa Antigua and Hank Mobley's This I Dig of You went down well. Summers suggested we, the audience, might not know the number. Some piped-up saying they did. Our man responding: Damn! We were banking on nobody knowing it! Worry not, Mr Summers, it was just fine! The Moon Song (Johnny Mandel) as recorded by Pat Metheny and Charlie Haden was, perhaps, a surprise selection (it worked), and In a Sentimental Mood proved to be an ideal closing number. Russell 
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