Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: ''It was then that Coltrane 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

18982 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 846 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Oct. 8.) 25.

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

October.

Sat 10: Catfish Keith @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £19.00. + bf. Jumpin’ Hot Club.

Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free. Feat. guest Jack ‘Banjo’ Courtney (trumpet).
Sun 11: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Harry Christelis Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A Jazz Co-op-JNE co-promotion.

Mon 12: Jack Pearce Quintet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 12: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 13: Alan Law @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free. Alan Law (piano) w. Julija Jacenaite (vocals).

Wed 14: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: A Night of Stevie Wonder @ Holy GrAle, Durham. 4:45pm. £3.00.; £2.50. A Durham University Jazz Society event.
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.
Wed 14: A Night of Stevie Wonder @ Holy GrAle, Durham. 7:30pm. £3.00.; £2.50. A Durham University Jazz Society event.
Wed 14: NW FRQNC @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £15.00. Selina Albright, Gianni Vancini.
Wed 14: Jacob Egglestone Trio @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.

Thu 15: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 15: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 15: Leah Kirk: A Strange Affair @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free (donations). Leah Kirk (vocals); Alan Law (keyboards); Paul Grainger (double bass).
Thu 15: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. PJO w. guest Graham Hardy (trumpet).

Fri 16: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 16: Ancient Infinity Orchestra @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Fri 16: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. £13.01. adv.; £15.00. on the door. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.
Fri 16: Milne Glendinning Band @ Repas 7 by Night, West St., Berwick. 8:00pm. Free.

Monday, July 03, 2023

Michael Young Trio @ the Engine Room, Sunderland - July 3

Michael Young (piano); Paul Grainger (bass); Abbie Finn (drums)

Unfortunately, because of transport problems - maybe I'll move to Rwanda where their public transport system is probably more reliable - I missed the opening number which, I'm told, was Summertime so maybe Nexus did me, at least for the moment, a favour for which,  they got their revenge later (don't ask!).

Young is a welcome addition to the north east jazz scene. Where has he been hiding? Sunderland jazz needs someone like him (and more) as much as their local football team needs a striker who doesn't get injured every other game.

With Grainger and Mrs Keeble he has found the ideal team and they gel.

The most encouraging thing about tonight was that, even after the diners had challenged their bowels with, say, 8oz Ribeye Steak (WF) £22 Peppercorn Sauce, Green Beans and Home Cooked Chips, many of them stayed on to listen and enjoy. Personally, next time round I may fork out on that Ribeye Steak. I'm a sucker for ribeye steaks. 

However, as the 'lecky', the road tax and the other vultures are closing in on me, maybe I'll ask for an estimate on a bag of crisps first.

Back to the music, this is, perhaps as close as we'll ever get to what we dreamers dreamed of. The Cherry Tree in Jesmond came as close as any venue did to create the perfect jazz/dining setting. It was the most magnificent, glorious and ambitious attempt to bring jazz and cordon-blue cooking together that the north east had ever known. Despite showcasing all the region's top players and many from further afield it eventually threw in the towel.

So will the Engine Room succeed? Time will tell. Lance

Summertime: So What?; God Bless the Child; For Once in my Life; Nefertiti;  Dolphin Dance; Caravan; The Look of Love; Moments  Notice; Rosalinda's Eyes; Bemsha Swing; Infant Eyes; I'm Getting Sentimental Over You; Amanda's Rumba;  Saturday Night in the Cosmos

2 comments :

Abbie said...

Still Abbie Finn I'm afraid lance ;) no keeble haha

Anonymous said...

Lance thanks! Sorry you missed our cracking mambo version of Summertime - after Dizzy & Mongo Santamaría. Fun to play perhaps a one time only thing ��

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