Bebop Spoken There

Donovan Haffner ('Best Newcomer' 2025 Parliamentary Jazz Awards): ''I got into jazz the first time I picked up a saxophone!" - Jazzwise Dec 25/Jan 26

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

18146 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 24 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 7), 24

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Thu 08: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: Jazz Milestones of 1976.

Fri 09: The House Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00.
Fri 09: Nauta @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Trio: Jacob Egglestone, Jamie Watkins, Bailey Rudd.
Fri 09: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Warren James & the Lonesome Travellers @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £15.00.
Fri 09: The Blue Kings @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £10.00. (£8.00. adv.). All-star band.

Sat 10: Mark Toomey Quintet @ St Peter’s Church, Stockton-on-Tees. 7:30pm. £12.00. (inc. pie & peas). Tickets from: 07749 255038.

Sun 11: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 12: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 12: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 13: Milne Glendinning Band @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00. Coquetdale Jazz.
Tue 13: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 14: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 14: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

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

Friday, May 26, 2023

Chris Greive Standards Trio @ Gala Theatre, Durham - May 26

(© Malcolm Sinclair)
Chris Greive (trombone); James Brady (trumpet, flugelhorn); Tom Gibbs (piano)

Trombonist Chris Greive's Standards Trio arrived in Durham with a late change to the line-up. At the last minute guitarist Graeme Stephen was obliged to attend to urgent family business. Joining Greive and James Brady on their journey south from Scotland was the prodigiously talented pianist Tom Gibbs. A near full house at the Gala Theatre was unlikely to be disappointed...

Greive chose to open the set with the Chet Baker/Gerry Mulligan arrangement of The Lady is a Tramp, the horns dancing deftly around the melody, the depping Gibbs, with not a chart in sight, handling the material with consummate ease. Dizzy's Tour de Force was just that, later in the set Bebop tore it up (Gibbs' whirlwind playing, stride patterns, the lot), bravo! 
(© Malcolm Sinclair)
Don't Get Around Much Anymore featured Greive as Tricky Sam, Brady as Cootie Williams and Gibbs as Edward Kennedy, it doesn't get much better than this, stellar playing all round. Our trumpeter's lip required brief respite, so, with Brady taking five, the harmonic invention of 'bone man Greive and the depping Gibbs was quite delightful. To close a most enjoyable hour, Chris Greive's Standards Trio went out on Caravan. As the musicians took a collective bow, the Gala's lunchtime jazz audience went home more than impressed. 

Next month's concert (Friday 23 June) features guitarist Giles Strong's recently formed quartet. Don't hesitate to book (enquiring at the box office all the signs are it's going to be a full house). Tickets from: www.galadurham.co.uk. Russell        

Set list: The Lady is a Tramp; Brotherhood of Man; Tour de Force; Don't Get Around Much Anymore; Someday My Prince Will Come; Bebop; Bunny; Caravan.  
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1 comment :

Greivsy said...

Thankyou for the review. It's a lovely reminder of a very fine audience and beautiful day out in Durham!

Thursday, July 13, 2023 10:47:00 am

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