Bebop Spoken There

Ron Carter quoting Sonny Rollins: ''What we call jazz - that's keeping the world in equilibrium. I don't care what kind of music you like out here today. It all comes from jazz.'' (DownBeat August, 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

18844 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 708 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 27) 77.

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

August

Fri 28: Graham Hardy Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 28: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 28: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 28: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.

Sat 29: Brian Jackson @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 8:30pm (doors). £32.00.

Sun 30: Musicians Unlimited @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: Tango Jazz Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 31: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

September.

Tue 01: Customs House Big Band @ Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 01: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, John Hirst.

Wed 02: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 02: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 02: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 03: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 03: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 03: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. Feat. Ian Bosworth (guitar); Ron Hampton (guitar); Riche Emmerson (tenor sax); Dan Johnson (tenor sax, alto sax); Garry Hadfield (keyboards); Adrian Beadnell (bass); Mark Hawkins (drums).

Wednesday, November 23, 2022

TJ Johnson @ Jamboree - Nov. 23

TJ Johnson (piano, vocals) + Tom Johnson (vocals)

It's ever so convenient. Step off the train at King's Cross, walk for two minutes onto Gray's Inn Road, turn into St Chad's Place and there it is, Jamboree. If it's three o'clock on a Wednesday, TJ Johnson is in town. It was only last week that TJ was 'up north' to play two solo piano engagements and this afternoon he would, for the most part, once again fly solo. 

Upon entering, the first face encountered was none other than TJ himself. A case of 'long time, no see', five days to be precise.

An elegant tune, said TJ of Just Friends. Quite. JC Johnson's Black Mountain Blues as sung by Bessie Smith scored big. BB King's acerbic Paying the Cost to be the Boss, I've Got the World on a String (excellent), some Hank Williams, some Willie Nelson, of course, the first set was an entirely new slate of tunes. It begs the question: How many tunes does TJ know?

Jamboree barman Tom Johnson (no relation) joined TJ to sing Don't Get Around Much Anymore. Yet another talent!  

First set: Listen to the Wind; Just Friends; Black Mountain Blues; In the Heat of the Night; Paying the Cost to be the Boss; Tennessee Waltz; Goodnight, Irene; Don't Get Around Much Anymore; Lost Highway; I've Got the World on a String; The Good Old, Bad Old Days; Don't Touch Me There.  

Interval. Recorded music (crackles included) to suit the occasion.

Lights dimmed, tables candles illuminating the scene, another bottle of Jamboree, TJ opened the second set with Always on My Mind. A finger-snapping Rodgers and Hart Where or When, a tribute to the recently departed Jerry Lee Lewis with a tremendous take on Great Balls of Fire, this was TJ in overdrive!

An almost winter Autumn Leaves, almost melancholic, possibly the tune of the day. From Joseph Kosma to Johnny Cash's Forty Shades of Green to Alberta Hunter (My Castle's Rockin'), TJ knew 'em all. One more to finish, Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone. 

Second set: Always on My Mind; Where or When; Blueberry Hill; It Had to be You; Autumn Leaves; Forty Shades of Green; Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone. Russell
at

No comments :

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments ( Atom )

Blog Archive