Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: ''It was then that Colltrane came along and single-handedly brought this dimension of spirituality into jazz. It was a pivotal experience to me.'' (DownBeat September, 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

18947 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 811 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Sept. 28.) 90.

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

September.

Tue 29: Tenderly: The Life & Times of Nat ‘King’ Cole @ Hepscott Parish Hall. 7:30pm. . £15.00., £12.00. (Early Bird advance ticket), £10.00. Off-Broadway production feat. Duane Forrest.
Tue 29: Red Kites Jazz @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 30: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 30: Darlington Big Band @ The Traveller's Rest, Cockerton, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. For one week only the rehearsal night will be at the Traveller's Rest (open to the public).
Wed 30: Tenderly: The Life & Times of Nat ‘King’ Cole @ The Hearth, Horsley. 7:30pm. £15.00., £12.00. (Early Bird advance ticket), £10.00. Off-Broadway production feat. Duane Forrest.
Wed 30: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 30: New Ways of Moving in the Counterworlds + Juliana Day & Manon McCoy + Helen Anahita Wilson @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. A BBC Introducing-Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.

October

Thu 01: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 01: Rivkala @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 01: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 01: Hot Club de Heaton @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free (donations).
Thu 01: The Scenic Route @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free.

Fri 02: Alison Gill + Markrokosmos @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music (NFOJAIM).
Fri 02: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 02: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 02: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 02: Gilby & Hunter + Andy Champion @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 6:00pm. NFOJAIM.
Fri 02: Abbie Finn Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. The Abbie Finn Trio augmented by Dean Stockdale (piano).
Fri 02: Alexia Gardner Trio @ Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7:30pm. £15.00.
Fri 02: Zoe Rahman Trio @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 8:00pm. NFOJAIM. SOLD OUT!

Sat 03: New Orleans Ragtime Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club. Gavin Lee & co.
Sat 03: Anemone Quartet + Jeepe Zeeburg @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. NFOJAIM.
Sat 03: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Caravan. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 03: Struggle Buggy @ The Peacock, Sunderland. 6:00pm. Free. Excellent blues band.
Sat 03: Bright Street Big Band @ Washington Arts Centre. 6:30pm. £12.50 (inc. bf). Two sets: 7:30-8:15pm & 8:45-9:30pm. ‘Swing Band Dance Night’.
Sat 03: Olie Brice Quartet + Alexander Hawkins + Harper Trio @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 7:00pm. NFOJAIM.
Sat 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 04: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Heugh Battery, Hartlepool. 11:00am-12 noon & 1:00-2:00pm.
Sun 04: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 04: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Quintet w. special guest Bill Watson (trumpet).
Sun 04: Sax Choir w. Rachel Musson @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 04: Rivkala + Ceitidh Mac + Thatcher & Knowles @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:30pm. A NFOJAIM event.
Sun 04: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free. RESCHEDULED from September 27.
Sun 04: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 04: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £3.00.

Mon 05: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Saturday, June 10, 2023

Bonnie Raitt @ Sage Gateshead - June 9

Bonnie Raitt (guitar, piano, vocals); Duke Levine (guitar, mandolin, backing vocals); Glenn Patscha (organ, keys, backing vocals); James 'Hutch' Hutchinson (bass guitar, double bass, backing vocals); Ricky Fataar (drums)

Hall One sold out some months ago. As soon as tickets went on sale they were quickly snapped up for a rare appearance by the Grammy award-winning Bonnie Raitt. The American superstar told the Sage Gateshead audience she was happy to be on the road again following the dark days of Covid lockdowns. It didn't greatly matter that during the course of the evening she announced on more than one occasion how happy she was to be here in 'Newcastle'. We can forgive visiting stars confusing Gateshead with Newcastle!

The American's ace band comprised long-serving bassist James 'Hutch' Hutchison (Earl King, Professor Longhair, the Neville Bros., and countless others), drummer Ricky Fataar (the Beach Boys, one of many on his glittering cv), Canadian Glenn Patscha (Ry Cooder and a host of jazz associates including Brian Blade, Donald Harrison and Lizz Wright) and, on this tour, replacing George Marinelli, guitarist Duke Levine (Mary Chapin Carpenter, J. Geils Band, Otis Rush).                            
Material from Raitt's album 2022 Just Like That...featured alongside numbers from way back. The passing years haven't diminished Raitt's vocal power, her famed slide guitar playing was on show, although perhaps not as much as some had hoped for, and, for one number, our Rock and Roll Hall of Famer sat at the keyboard. Made Up Mind from Just Like That..., Used to Rule the World from 2012's Slipstream, Raitt raided her extensive back catalogue. Guitar techs frequently wandered on and off stage handing Raitt (and Levine) yet another, differently tuned guitar. Glenn Patscha alternated between organ (a Hammond?) and a bank of keyboards, Hutchinson and Fataar making do with a little less hardware. 

Blame it on Me, Bob Dylan's Million Miles, an excellent Livin' for the Ones from the new album, and several tributes to friends no longer with us, notably Raitt's heartfelt remembrance of John Prine, the one hour and forty minutes' performance flew by. A brief encore, a bow and Bonnie Raitt was gone.        
 
Bonnie Raitt's set list included: Made Up Mind; Used to Rule the World; Blame it on Me; Million Miles; Something to Talk About; Livin' for the Ones; Angel from Montgomery.

Earlier, Bonnie Raitt's special guest on the tour, Gareth Dunlop, received an enthusiastic reception in the rapidly-filling auditorium.

Gareth Dunlop (guitar, keyboards, vocals); Pete Wallace (guitar, vocals)

A singer-songwriter from Belfast, Dunlop was joined on stage by guitarist Pete Wallace. Dunlop spent a decade or so in Nashville, America as a composer (film and television) and performer. Our man confided supporting Bonnie Raitt was a surreal experience, the Irishman a fan since his teenage years. Raw, soulful vocals, Gareth Dunlop won himself many new fans here on Tyneside. Russell       

at
Subscribe to: Post Comments ( Atom )

Blog Archive