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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.

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).

Mon 24: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 24: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 25: Fred Wesley & the New JB’s @ The Cluny. 7:30pm (doors). £27.50. POSTPONED! New date Wednesday 26 November.

Wed 26: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 26: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 26: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 27: Hannabiell & Midnight Blue @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 27: Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Superb blues duo.

Fri 28: Giles Strong Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00 SOLD OUT!.
Fri 28: Spilt Milk @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £8.00.
Fri 28: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Old Cinema Laundrette, Durham. 7:45pm.
Fri 28: Sue Ferris Quintet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £10.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 28: Mostly Moonlight @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Fri 28: Juliana Day & Manon McCoy @ Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00.; £10.00. advance. JNE.

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, November 08, 2022

Mike Durham's International Classic Jazz Party: Tribute to Mike and Awards Ceremony + The Professor + Teddy Wilson Small Groups + Friday Night Pub Jam. Nov.4

The first of three non-stop days of jazz began with the now traditional Tribute to Mike and Awards Ceremony. Trumpeter Enrico Tomasso led the session paying tribute to Classic Jazz Party (formerly Whitley Bay Jazz Festival) founder, the late Mike Durham. An all-British outfit, augmented by the brilliant American drummer Josh Duffee, played a half hour set prior to the Village Hotel audience being introduced to the recipient of the 2022 Young Talent Award winner, Curtis Volp (see photo). The sellout crowd looked forward to hearing Curtis (guitar, banjo) at various junctures over the long weekend. 
Making his CJP debut, Colin Good was accorded the honour of being Friday evening's piano 'professor'. The first of three CJP pianists awarded professorial status, Mr Good made a big impression. 

Later in the evening another fine pianist, Martin Litton, presented a wonderful tribute to Teddy Wilson - Teddy Wilson Small Groups - focussing upon Wilson's small group sessions from 1935 - 1944. Don't Be That Way (comp. Benny Goodman & Edgar Sampson) introduced another CJP debutant, string bassist ('string bass', this is the Classic Jazz Party, you know!), Harry Evans. Take it as read, the man was a revelation. Hopefully he'll be invited to participate in future editions of the CJP. Flying Home had to be in Litton's set and it was. A cracking set, Litton's sidemen, trumpeter Jon-Erik Kellso (another debutant, most impressive), trombonist Christoph Hermann (yet another first timer, coming from Germany's classical music world), Jean François Bonnel, Lars Frank (a CJP favourite, a multi-talented, multi-reedsman), French rhythm king Félix Hunot (banjo, guitar) and Richard Pite (à la batterie, as our French friends might say) more than played their part.               
The day's final concert in the main hall finished at 11:00pm but that didn't mean it was time for bed, far from it. A rip-roaring jam session was about to begin in the bar. A pint of Guinness, please! All seats taken, standing room at the bar, trumpet ace Malo Mazurié was to lead the session. And what a session it would be! 

N'Awlins-based pianist David Boeddinghaus guaranteed a rollicking, paddle steamer, stride masterclass as one soloist after another stepped up to blow the roof off the place. The cast list would take an age to list, suffice to say, as the Guinness went down, pint after pint, the ever-changing rhythm section built up a head of steam and kept going into the night. Mazurié's fellow trumpeter,
 Torstein Kubban is just the sort to have on a jam session, his blistering attack had the crowded bar whooping 'n' a hollerin'. It was silly o'clock in the early hours of Saturday morning when it all came to an end. It would soon be time for an early breakfast. Russell       

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