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Bebop Spoken There

Sullivan Fortner: ''I always judge it by the bass player: If the bass player is happy, it's going to be a good night". (DownBeat, February 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

17777 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 98 of them this year alone and, so far, 23 this month (Feb.8).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Sun 16: MOBO Song @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 12 noon. Free, performances on the concourse. Line-up inc. Jazz Attack (on stage time TBC) & Jambone (12:20pm).
Sun 16: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 16: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: BBC Introducing NE X MOBO Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Jambone, Knats, Rivkala, SwanNek.
Sun 16: The Shayo Experience @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 16: Gerry Richardson Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. .

Mon 17: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 17: Matt Forster Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance.
Mon 17: Russ Morgan Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law, Paul Grainger, John Hirst.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Jazz Milestones - 1975.
Thu 20: Renegade Brass Band @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 20: Orange Claw Hammer + Peony @ The Globe, Newcastle.7:30pm. Orange Claw Hammer play Captain Beefheart.
Thu 20: Jeremy McMurray & the Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Featuring special guest Zoë Gilby.

Fri 21: JazzMain @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 21: Joe Steels Trio @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £10.00. TBC.
Fri 21: Emma Rawicz w. Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

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: Mississippi MacDonald @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm. Blues.
Sat 22: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Old Cinema Laundrette, Durham. 7:45pm. £16.50. SOLD OUT!
Sat 22: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

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

Wednesday, June 07, 2023

Black Swan Jam Session, Newcastle Arts Centre - June 6

The house trio opened up with All the Things You Are - has there ever been a jam where Kern's immortal classic didn't show up either in toto or as contrafact? Who cares? It's still a good tune.

Earlier the death of Astrud Gilberto had been announced so it was inevitable that there would be numbers associated with the Brazilian singer popping up during the course of the evening and the trio set the ball rolling with One Note Samba which, despite the title, actually contains several notes particularly in the middle eight. 

Stu sang I Thought About You despite playing keyboard and juggling with a swaying mic stand simultaneously.

It was now time for the jammers to take centre stage and first up was Kate O'Neill who sang Billy Taylor's I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to be Free. Loud and earthy, Kate wrings out every amount of emotion from a song. The Girl From Ipanema, as Astrud demonstrated, demands a more subtle, laid back approach, nevertheless, this version offered an interesting contrast.

On both of these numbers the super Spanish sax star Luis Verde (pictured) spiced things up just as Stan Getz did on the original Ipanema.

Verde stayed aboard for Coltrane's Soul Eyes. As the name implies it was indeed soulful - beautifully so.

Alex Shipsey played bass guitar on C Jam Blues before being joined by the indefatigable Edgar whose atonal approach to jazz could be the next 'new thing' - then again ...

Showtime joined him for Watermelon Man which, if it wasn't all (Herbie) Hancock at least some of it was.

Debra Milne added her tribute to Astrud with  Corcovado (Quiet Nights) although it was perhaps too quiet. Perdido was more audible with an impressive scat chorus. By this time, Jacob Egglestone had signed in and, as always, he delivered.

A brief interval to allow Sid White to switch the kit around to suit the inscrutable Kris Finney's more orthodox set-up before Katrina Miller sang How Deep is the Ocean? An out of tempo first chorus followed by a nice easy swing feel.

Owen Jones (he's Welsh) took over on double bass and 'Showtime' showed as Theo (surname unknown) crooned They Can't Take That Away From me. It's rather wonderful that young singers such as Theo and Katrina manage to delve into the GASbook without hitting on Summertime!

Gray and Verde played Ornithology trombone and alto working well together with excellent solos then, just as the number was drawing to a close, David slipped in a vocal chorus of How High the Moon which is, of course, the chord sequence that Ornithology is based on.

Out of Nowhere had more good solos from alto and trombone plus the inevitable vocal. Is the trombonist who sings fast becoming the singer who plays trombone? Whichever, he does both very well.

At this point, knowing the hoards of 'Kissettes' would soon be exiting the nearby Utilita Arena I made my exit. However, the saga will continue shortly courtesy of Russell. Lance

Stu Collingwood (keys, vocals); Paul Grainger (bass); Sid White (drums) + Edgar Bell (trumpet); David 'Showtime' Gray (trombone, vocals); Luis Verde (alto sax); Jacob Egglestone (guitar); Alex Shipsey (bass guitar); Owen Jones (bass); Kris Finney (drums); Kate O'Neill, Katrina Miller, Theo, Debra Milne (vocals). 

(Late arrivals - see Russell's separate post) Esther Coombes (clarinet); John Pope (bass); Jamie Watkins (bass guitar); Freddie Richards (drums).

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