Bebop Spoken There

Gary Bartz: ''Music is nature's gift to man. It's the only religion. We're living in a terrible era, but what a beautiful thing music is. Look how it brings us together like religion is supposed to; and with no language barriers.'' (Jazzwise 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

18918 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 782 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Sept. 18.) 61.

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.

Sun 20: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 20: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 20: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 20: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.

Mon 21: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 21: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. Coltrane centenary.

Tue 22: ???

Wed 23: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 23: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 23: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 7:30pm. A John Coltrane Centenary Concert (b. 23. 09. 1926). SOLD OUT!
Wed 23: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 24: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 24: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 24: Arun Ghosh @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:30pm doors). £21.05. (£22.00. on the door). A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Thu 24: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00.

Fri 25: Mark Williams Trio @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £9.00.
Fri 25: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 25: Get the Blessing + Dilettante @ The Cluny (Cluny 2), Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £18.00. + bf. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 25: Jazz Sabbath @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 26: Adam Fairhall & Johnny Hunter: Play Mary Lou Williams @ The Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sat 26: John Pope Quintet + Urvashi @ The Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £15.40. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.

Monday, August 28, 2023

Ferg Kilsby Quartet @ Queen's Hall, Hexham - August 27

(© Russell)
Ferg Kilsby (trumpet); Joe Steels (guitar); Andy Champion (double bass); John Hirst (drums)

The latest in Joe Steels' monthly Sunday afternoon sessions featured soon-to-be-departing local lad, Ferg Kilsby. Trumpeter Ferg is shortly to embark upon an adventure of a lifetime. Halls of residence sorted, Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, London beckons. This afternoon, leading a band at such a young age must have be a daunting experience, leading a band of A-listers must have be something else! 

(© Russell)
Two sets comprising jazz standards and original compositions, Ferg was joined by the aforementioned Joe Steels (guitar) plus Andy Champion (bass) and our trumpeter's fellow Tyne Valley resident, drummer John Hirst. Smart company, indeed. Opening with Herbie Hancock's Eye of the Hurricane, this was Ferg the storm chaser, no fear! 

Three of Ferg's as yet untitled compositions made the cut, the first of them an audition piece for the Royal Academy School of Music. Our bandleader candidly revealed he wasn't offered a place at the venerable institution. It's the Royal Academy's loss, Trinity's gain! John Coltrane's ballad form Lonnie's Lament showed us just what Ferg can do - tremendous! 

(© Chris K)
Cole Porter's What is This Thing Called Love?, Tadd Dameron's Lady Bird, Kenny Wheeler's Omno, three varied charts, each handled with aplomb by Ferg and his A-list sidemen. Introducing Beatrice, little did Ferg know, some years earlier, in the adjacent cafe, the great tenor saxophonist Lewis Watson conjured up a magical take on Sam Rivers' much loved number. Lewis, Ferg, who'll be next to play it here at Queen's Hall?

A couple more original numbers, a couple of standards dating from the '30s, trumpeter Ferg covered the waterfront. It goes without saying that Joe, Andy and John were the business, we'd expect nothing less, but, let's be honest, the day belonged to Ferg Kilsby. Russell        

Set list: Eye of the Hurricane; Untitled (1)*; Lonnie's Lament; What Is This Thing Called Love?; Ladybird; Omno; Beatrice; Untitled (2);  If I Love Again; Untitled (3); You're My Everything.    
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