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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

17945 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 266 of them this year alone and, so far, 22 this month (April 8).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

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.

Sun 13: Daniel John Martin with Swing Manouche @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 13: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 13: Hejira: A Celebration of Joni Mitchell @ Wylam Brewery, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £22.50.
Sun 13: Wilkinson/Edwards/Noble + Chojnacki @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £13.20., £11.00. JNE.

Mon 14: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 14: Zoë Gilby Quintet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 15: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 16: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 16: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 16: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED!

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

Wednesday, August 30, 2023

Jamie Watkins' Major Creative Project Final Recital - August 30

Jamie Watkins (bass guitar); Jacob Egglestone (guitar); Bailey Rudd (drums); Ruby Oldknow (flute); Louis Wild (keyboards); Ellie Melvin (vocals)

Late August, Band Room, Newcastle University. Music recitals are in full swing this week and this afternoon Master's student Jamie Watkins presented his Major Creative Project Final Recital. Fellow students and supporters filed into the subterranean Band Room, the examiners last to arrive. At the appointed time (2:15) Jamie stepped into the spotlight... 
 
Jamie made available programme notes to attendees: Through the course of my master's I have been researching the role of the bassist within the jazz context...Our examinee could well have mentioned his frequent participation at the Black Swan jam sessions - extra curricular, on the job learning! Opening with Marcus Miller's Run for Cover (Miller was on the recording by David Sanborn), Jamie adopted a full-on slap bass approach, his bandmates offering welcome support.

During the one hour recital Jamie shuffled the pack: Victor Wooten's You Can't Hold No Groove (solo), trio numbers with Jacob Egglestone (guitar) and Bailey Rudd (drums) including Sonny Rollins' St Thomas (Jamie noting the bass player on Rollins' album, Doug Watkins, is/was no relation!) and Footprints (Bailey Rudd featured, referencing Ezra Collective). So far, so good! 

Vocalist Ellie Melvin travelled up from York to support Jamie, singing Save Your Love for Me, Ms Melvin impressed, similarly, guitarist Jacob Egglestone's sensitive contribution caught the ear. Pianist Louis Wild and flautist Ruby Oldknow made their mark, in summary, Jamie had put together quite a band!  As a bassist, Jamie couldn't possibly fail to embrace Jaco Pastorius, and he did just that, in his notes writing Jaco Pastorius has been a massive influence. Playing Donna Lee (from Jaco Pastorius) and Havona (from Heavy Weather) Jamie showed us what he could do. Little did Jamie know that way back when, just along the road at Newcastle City Hall, Weather Report (the line-up featuring Jaco) blew away a full house, not once, but twice*.

During the first number Jamie suffered a bloodied, blistered finger, not the sort of thing a musician would wish for on such an occasion. Trooper that he is, our man got on with it. Full marks for that!   

A nice touch to conclude the recital was Jamie's inclusion of Thomas the Tank Engine and Monsters Inc. Theme. And why not? Given a 'jazz treatment', Jamie's arrangements of childhood favourites worked a treat. 

* Note to Jamie...you would have loved the Weather Report gigs. Jaco was, and is, the man! Russell
             
Set list: Run for Cover; You Can't Hold No Groove (If You Ain't Got No Pocket); St Thomas; Donna Lee; Footprints; Bag's Groove; Midwestern Nights' Dream; Ruby My Dear; Save Your Love for Me; Havona; Thomas the Tank Engine: Monsters Inc Theme.   
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