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Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: '' A Love Supreme coincided with my search for meaning in life". (DownBeat, March 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

17864 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 185 of them this year alone and, so far,32 this month (March10).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Tues 11: Solea @ Earthlings, the Healing Café, 94 Buckingham St., Newcastle, NE4 5QR. 7:00-8:45pm. Food available if ordered before 6:30pm. New band: Johannes Dalhuijsen (tenor sax, bass clarinet); Richard Herdman (guitar); Nick Bagnall (bass guitar); John Hirst (drums).
Tue 11: Giles Strong Quartet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm.

Wed 12: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Jam session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 12: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 13: The Exu + Matt Cliffe @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 13: Oh La La! @ Allendale Village Hall, Northumberland. 7:30pm. £12.00.; £6.00. child. Fifi La Mer (accordion, vocals), Oliver Wilby (reeds).
Thu 13: Fiona Finden’s Jazz Express @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 14: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 14: Paul Taylor @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00-2:00pm. £5.00. at the door. Second Friday in the month lunchtime concert series.
Fri 14: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 14: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 14: Brass Funkeys + Dilutey Juice @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £8.00.
Fri 14: Oh La La! @ Edmundbyers Village Hall, Co. Durham. 7:30pm. £12.00.; £10.00. (additional £5.00. supper option, ordered in advance). Fifi La Mer (accordion, vocals), Oliver Wilby (reeds).
Fri 14: The Collective @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £8.50.
Fri 14: Bridget Metcalfe Quintet @ St George’s Venue, Park Road, Hartlepool. 7:30pm.

Sat 15: Hot Teapots @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm.
Sat 15: Creakin’ Bones @ Billy Bootleggers. Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free.
Sat 15: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 15: Is This Jazz? @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Tickets: www.eventbrite.co.uk. Performances by Mu Quintet, Jinjé, A Brief Utopia, John Pope & Co + André Marmot (author of Unapologetic Expression: The Inside Story of the UK Jazz Explosion) in conversation + DJ sets ‘til 3:00am. ‘A Festival of New Jazz’.
Sat 15: Vintage Explosion @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Sat 15: Alligator Gumbo @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm. £15.00.
Sat 15: One Night Standards @ The White Room, Stanley. 8:00pm. £8.67 (inc. bf). Note - previously advertised Salty Dogs cancelled.
Sat 15: Howlin’ Mat @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Blues guitar.

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: Pearl Blossoms @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Ragtime.
Sun 16: Hot 8 Brass Band @ Wylam Brewery. 7:30pm. ‘Big Tuba Tour’.
Sun 16: ARQ @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 16: Air4ce @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 8:30pm (8:00pm doors). £12.00.; £10.00. Tom Atkinson’s all-star band (line-up inc. Lindsay Hannon & Sue Ferris).
Sun 16: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 17: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 17: Jamie Toms Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

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

Tuesday, July 11, 2023

Wynton Marsalis @ Buxton Opera House - July 10

Wynton Marsalis (trumpet, vocals); Alan Barnes (alto sax, clarinet); Dan Higham (trombone); Joe Webb (piano); Will Sach (double bass); Will Cleasby (drums)

A first visit to the Peak District market town of Buxton. At more than 1000 feet above sea level the picturesque town is England's highest market town. On arrival, a local inhabitant said the place was 'quite hilly'. She wasn't wrong...

The purpose of BSH visiting the Derbyshire market town was to attend a late night Buxton Opera House concert featuring the great Wynton Marsalis. All seats were sold several months ago, perhaps the prospect of hearing Marsalis in small group format rather than the American's more usual Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra gig caught the imagination. 

Our trumpeter left nothing to chance, intensive rehearsals in London with a hand-picked band ensured this Buxton International Festival concert would be to the highest professional standard. And what a band! The senior man, none other than Alan Barnes (playing alto sax and clarinet), walked out onto the stage with Dan Higham (trombone), Joe Webb (piano), Will Sach (double bass) and drummer Will Cleasby. Yes, what a band! And then, out strode W. Marsalis. The Opera House erupted into sustained applause. The great man was in our midst!

It was to be a celebration of the music of early twentieth century New Orleans. As if in Preservation Hall, the frontline sat for the duration, Marsalis centre stage, Alan Barnes to his left, to his right, the brilliant, young trombonist Dan Higham. Piano, bass and drums - what you could call a 'band and a half' comprising the fabulous Joe Webb (recently signed to Edition Records), London-resident New Yorker, bassist Will Sach, and namesake Will Cleasby, drums. Marsalis chose to play it acoustically, none of the musicians were on a mic, no monitors, nothing, it was as if we were in Preservation Hall.

When the Saints opened the show, simply wonderful. The applause said it all, folk had come from all points to hear Wynton Marsalis, there was a palpable sense of occasion. The American's presentation style is one of erudition with an air of relaxation, smiles flashing from musician to musician, Marsalis generous in his praise of his band mates. Mr. A. Barnes has seen it all before, the others were living the dream. They've been to the prestigious music schools, did they ever dare to think that one day they would be sharing a stage with Wynton Marsalis?! 

Generous in praise of his fellow musicians, Marsalis was equally generous in putting them in the spotlight. Barnes, of course, tore it up. Other than Marsalis and a few others, does the American jazz 'community' know just how good Alan Barnes is? 

Buddy Bolden's Blues (a similar chord progression to that of Tiger Rag, said Marsalis), hit home, huge applause. Marsalis likes a blues, the man likes to sing. First up, St James' Infirmary, committed vocals, followed by a highlight of the evening, 2:19 Blues, as recorded by Jelly Roll Morton, Louis Armstrong and others, absolutely glorious. 

Audience participation isn't to everyone's liking, however, under the direction of Mr Marsalis, L'il Liza Jane didn't do any harm. In fact, Marsalis was impressed by the in-pitch singing of the adoring crowd, the great man suggesting he should take us on tour. 

The hour flew by. A standing ovation suggested he and his band mates would return to the stage to play an encore. After a while, Marsalis' sextet returned to the stage to burn it up on a swinging bop-like number (the title escaping your reviewer). It goes without saying Marsalis is a virtuoso musician, to hear him soloing, sometimes at length, frequently to great dynamic effect, in a small combo was a real privilege. Gig of the Year? You could say that. Russell

2 comments :

Lance said...

Regarding being the highest market town in England, Buxton actually shares that honour with Alston in Cumbria. Having cycled to both I can verify to the fact that the air up there is indeed rarefied. Unfortunately, I never was in either town when Marsalis was around although I do have some tenuous jazz memories.
In Buxton I met a Dutch couple who were cycling to the Litchfield Jazz Festival whilst once, after I'd zoomed down to Corbridge from Alston I heard a band playing in a local pub. It was either the Heritage Hall Stompers or the Vieux Carré Jazzmen. One thing is sure, it wasn't Wynton Marsalis!

Alan Barnes said...

Thanks for a lovely review. Final number was Cherokee, although we never played the melody just improvised on the chords

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