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Bebop Spoken There

Trevor Mires: ''My mum is a Dean Martin fan: I'm not, so I would grab my skateboard and get out of the house whenever I heard "Everybody Loves Somebody, Sometime." ". (Jazzwise, April 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

17957 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 278 of them this year alone and, so far, 34 this month (April 14).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Sun 20: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 20: Salty Dog @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 20: Spilt Milk @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 20: Tweed River Jazz Band @ The Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 20: C.A.L.I.E @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 21: Newcastle Record Fair @ Copthorne Hotel, Newcastle. 10:00am. Going in search of the Buddy Bolden cylinder…
Mon 21: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. Coquetdale Jazz.

Wed 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 23: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 23: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED!

Thu 24: Mary Coughlan @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £33.80. Blues, jazz etc.
Thu 24: Darlington Big Band @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 25: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT! Duo performance.
Fri 25: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 25: Andrea Vicari Trio @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. Vicari (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); Russ Morgan (drums).
Fri 25: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 25: Red Kites Jazz @ Land of Oak & Iron, Winlaton Mill. 6:00-9:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Fri 25: Struggle Buggy @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. Rhythm & blues.
Fri 25: Paul Skerritt Big Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £20.30., £18.00. All-star big band.
Fri 25: Andrea Vicari Trio @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Vicari (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); Russ Morgan (drums). An Opus 4 Jazz Club event.

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

Monday, March 06, 2023

Gavin Barras Quartet @ the Railway, Stockport - March 5

(© Jeff Pritchard)
Gavin Barras (bass); Matt Cliffe  (tenor sax/flute); Tom Harris (piano); Miles Pillinger (drums).

Gavin is frequently seen at the Railway playing in various bands but I can’t recall the last time he was here as a bandleader. He brought along for this Sunday evening gig three excellent musicians who were new to me and who were all from the Leeds area. Taking centre stage was tenor man Matt Cliffe who started the concert with an uptempo blues by Sonny Rollins,  Sonnymoon For Two. He was using a vintage Conn tenor and produced the big hard bop sound that I like to hear.  He also impressed with his take on Fats Waller’s great composition Jitterbug Waltz which he chose to play on flute.

As expected there were plenty of bass solos from Gavin who used his bow to good effect on the melody of Body and Soul and also took a long solo on Parker’s Dexterity during which he slid in some quotes from Steeplechase and Rhythm-a-ning.  The piano was in good hands with Tom Harris reminding me of Brubeck, Monk, and Dave Burrell who was active during the NYC loft scene. Actually I’ve just remembered I’ve seen the drummer Miles Pillinger playing here on two previous occasions so he is definitely not a new face to me. He is one guy to watch out for and he drove things along with his high energy approach.


In the second set we heard the Edgar Simpson tune Stompin' at the Savoy.  Why has this number become so popular with jazz groups recently? I’ve already heard three versions played at this venue in the past two weeks!  Gavin’s band did a fine version though. I wonder if Matt has heard Gene Ammons do this tune on his album, Boss Tenor? The final number was Blue Monk a blues that was used by the Ford Motor Co to introduce new models to their salesmen.  


The next jazz night at the Railway is March 7 with the Ed Kainyek Quartet  9:00pm-11:00pm. Mike Farmer

 

Sonnymoon For Two; Footprints; Dexterity; Jitterbug Waltz; It Could Happen to You; On Green Dolphin Street; All The Things You Are; Body and Soul; Stompin’ at the Savoy; Blue Monk.

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