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Bebop Spoken There

Steve Coleman: ''If you don't keep learning, your mind slows down. Use it or lose it''. (DownBeat, January 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

17733 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 53 of them this year alone and, so far, 53 this month (Jan. 20).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Wed 22: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 22: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 22: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 22: Pasadena Roof Orchestra @ Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm.

Thu 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free. Fortnightly.
Thu 23: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Obituaries 2024.
Thu 23: Jason Isaacs @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:30-6:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Thu 23: Pedal Point Trio @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 24: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Creakin’ Bones & the Sunday Dinners @ Lindisfarne Social Club, Wallsend. 9:00pm. Admission: TBC. Jazz, blues , jump jive, rock ‘n’ roll.

Sat 25: Boys of Brass @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:30-5:30pm. Free.
Sat 25: New '58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson's Wharf, Hartlepool. 6:30pm (doors). Free. A Burns' Night event. Jazz, swing, funk, soul, blues etc.
Sat 25: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 25: Red Kites Jazz @ Parish Hall, St Barnabas’ Church, Rowlands Gill. 7:30pm. £10.00. BYOB (tea & coffee available), raffle. Proceeds to St Barnabas’ Church. Performance feat. Shayo (vocals).
Sat 25: Jack & Jay’s Songbook @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Graham Hardy Eclectic Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 26: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 26: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:30pm. Free.
Sun 26: Gratkowski, Tramontana, Beresford, Affifi @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.
Sun 26: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 27: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 28: ???

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Thu 30: Matters Unknown (aka Jonathan Enser, Nubiyan Twist) + support TBA @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £12.22 (gig & food); £9:04 (gig only).
Thu 30: Soznak @ The Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 30: Struggle Buggy @ Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Rhythm & blues.

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

Saturday, November 19, 2022

Greg Abate @ Wakefield Jazz - Nov. 18

Greg Abate (alto sax/flute); Andrzej Baranek (piano); José Canha (bass); John Settle (drums) +  Pete Rosser (piano) on Recorda Me and Summertime.

I’d never been to Wakefield before but my friend Jeff told me that there were many roundabouts to negotiate and he was not wrong. The sat-nav was on overdrive!  Still, it was well worth the two hour drive in cold rainy conditions to see sax maestro Greg Abate who was nearing the end of a UK tour that was not without its own problems such as train cancellations and the other things that make being a travelling jazz musician a somewhat stressful occupation. In view of this he told me before the gig started that next year he had decided to only do one UK tour in November and thus will not be here in July.

Observations about the gig

I have heard Greg many times and he is always on top form but tonight I thought he surpassed himself - the ideas just kept on coming. This could well be my favourite live gig of 2022.

Andrzej Baranek who I usually see playing keyboards on local gigs was in his high-octane bebop mood and it was great to see and hear him on the house Yamaha grand piano. If only all jazz venues had similar instruments!


John Settle  on drums did all that was required and together with José Canha a Portuguese bass player, they did a great job in anticipating Greg’s every move. Not an easy task as Greg is often apt to change tempos when the mood takes him which he did on an amazing rendition of Dizzy Gillespie’s Night in Tunisia.


It was nice meeting Greg’s partner Kerry who had flown in recently and I hope she enjoyed the night as much as I did. 


I was surprised to find that Greg did fifteen numbers including a hip version of Happy Birthday which he dedicated to John Settle’s mother who was in the audience.


This was the perfect evening of modern jazz and thanks must be given to promoter/musician and compere Pete Rosser for getting every thing just right including the PA sound.


Closer to home, the next Railway jazz gig is tomorrow (Sunday Nov. 20) with  the Frank Griffith Quartet. Mike Farmer

 

Yardbird Suite; My Little Suede Shoes; Chelsea Bridge; Confirmation; I Remember You; Ceora; Voyage; Recorda Me; Summertime; Happy Birthday; Satin Doll; Star Eyes; Georgia On My Mind; Groovin’ High; A Night in Tunisia.  

2 comments :

Lance said...

A great player. Let's hope he makes it to Newcastle next year - we miss him!
Incidentally, just read in DownBeat that their readers voted him into third place in the alto sax section of their annual poll.

Mike Farmer said...

Lance I know you watch the live shows from Smalls NYC sometimes so you may know this already but Greg Abate is due to play two sets there on Nov 25 starting 7-30pm New York time. The line up is Bill O'Connell (piano); Harvey S (bass); Jason Tiemann (drums) and Greg on reeds.

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