Total Pageviews

Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, 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

17923 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 244 of them this year alone and, so far, 91 this month (March 31).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Sun 06: Learning & Participation Showcase @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm (1:00pm doors). Free. Featuring participants from Play More Jazz! Play More Folk! Blue Jam Singers & more.
Sun 06: Joe Steels Group @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Ferg Kilsby, Joe Steels, Ben Lawrence, Paul Susans, John Hirst.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Hooch, Quayside, Newcastle. 6:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Sun 06: Leeway @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 07: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 07: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 08: ???

Wed 09: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 09: Tannery jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm.
Wed 09: Anatole Muster Trio @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £17.50., £12.50. concs.
Wed 09: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED?

Thu 10: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.CANCELLED!
Thu 10: Magpies of Swing @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £7.00. A Globe fundraiser (all proceeds to the venue).
Thu 10: Exhaust: Camila Nebbia/Kit Downes/Andrew Lisle @ Jesmond URC, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:30pm doors). £13.20., £11.00. JNE.
Thu 10: Jeremy McMurray & the Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Feat. guests Ray Dales & Jackie Summers.

Fri 11: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 11: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 11: John Rowland Trio: The Music of Ben Webster @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Rowland (tenor sax); Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass).
Fri 11: Imelda May @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 11: Shunyata Improvisation Group @ Cullercoats Watch House. 7:30-9:00pm. Free (donations).

Sat 12: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 12: Rob Heron & the Tea Pad Orchestra + House of the Black Gardenia + King Bees @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 6:30pm (doors). £18.00.
Sat 12: Bright Street Big Band @ Washington Arts Centre. 6:30pm. £12.00. Event includes swing dance taster session, DJ dance session. Bright Street Big Band on stage 7:30-8:15pm & 8:45-9:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Sat 12: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 12: Imelda May @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £42.20. SOLD OUT!
Sat 12: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

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

Sunday, June 04, 2023

Central Bar Quartet featuring Lewis Watson @ Central Bar, Gateshead: 'Saxophone Colossus' - June 4

(© Russell)
Lewis Watson (tenor sax); Alan Law (piano); Mick Shoulder (bass); John Bradford (drums).

There were two saxophone colossuses in the Central Bar today. Sonny Rollins in spirit and Lewis Watson in person. Both lived up to expectation.

Even though it was 2:00pm there was an early hours atmosphere about the gig and, let's face it, for a jazz musician two o'clock in the afternoon is the early hours!

It didn't matter that it was upstairs and, outside the sun was shining, in the darkened room - guide dogs should have been provided - it felt like we were descending into the Stygian depths of a 52nd Street club back in the day. All that was missing was the cigarette smoke.

(© Ken Drew)
The Central Bar Quartet's match-winning formula is that they include a special guest to recreate a classic jazz album. Tonight the album elect was Sonny Rollins' 1956 Prestige album Saxophone Colossus and, in the absence of the great man himself, who better to don the mantle but Lewis Watson?

And 'don the mantle' he did paying tribute in his own special way on St. Thomas; You Don't Know What Love is; Strode Rode; Moritat and Blue 7.

It couldn't get any better than this - or could it?

It could!

On the second set, freed from his Rollinsian role, he really was on a roll!

The Mark VI revealed its secrets from bottom Bb up to top F# and beyond - way beyond. Without naming names, I've heard many American legends who'd have struggled to hold their own with Lewis when he's motoring like this. Quite a few British tenor players too!

Has he recorded? If not, why not? Has he played at Ronnie Scott's? If not, why not?

(© Ken Drew)

Opening the second set with Four he followed on with In a Sentimental Mood, Blue Bossa (solo of the session) then segued unannounced into Softly as in a Morning Sunrise confusing the band who, nevertheless, pros that they are, soon picked up the thread which is a cue for me to say how brilliant they were.

When faced with someone like Lewis Watson up front you either sink or you swim - they swam - Olympic gold medal standard!

The set closed with Wee (Allen's Alley) and we floated off into the sunshine happy in the knowledge that we'd witnessed something special. Lance

1 comment :

Bruce Bax (on F/b) said...

That was something else. So pleased to have witnessed that.

Blog Archive