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Bebop Spoken There

Sullivan Fortner: ''I always judge it by the bass player: If the bass player is happy, it's going to be a good night". (DownBeat, February 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

17777 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 98 of them this year alone and, so far, 23 this month (Feb.8).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Sun 09: The New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 09: Glenn Miller & Big Band Spectacular @ The Forum, Billingham. 3:00pm.
Sun 09: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Tom Remon & Mark Williams @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 09: Rod Oughton’s Tomorrow’s New Quartet with Ben van Helder @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Line-up inc. Deschanel Gordon.
Sun 09: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 10: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 11: Steve Summers Quintet @ 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: Student Performances @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 4:00pm. Free. Inc. Olly Styles (tenor sax).
Thu 13: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: Artist Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Hannabiell & Midnight Blue.
Thu 13: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 14: John Rowland Trio @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 12:30-1:30pm. £5.00. at the door. New second Friday in the month 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: Archipelago + Anna Tempest @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £8.00.
Fri 14: Paul Jones & Dave Kelly @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. Rhythm & blues.
Fri 14: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Fri 14: Jazz Sabbath @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 15: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 15: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 15: Elkie Brooks @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. ‘The Long Farewell Tour’.
Sat 15: Milne Glendinning Band @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. 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

Thursday, September 28, 2023

Alice Grace Quartet @ King's Hall, Newcastle - Sept. 28

(© Ken Drew)
Alice Grace (vocals); Pawel Jedrzejewski (guitar); Paul Grainger; Abbie Finn (drums)

I'd approached the uni from a different direction and found myself lost. I asked a student as to the whereabouts of King's Hall. He didn't know. I found out it was in the building he'd just left. The future could be in his hands...

However, once inside, all that was forgotten as the Alice Grace Quartet delivered a masterclass of jazz singing/playing to a packed auditorium.

Devil May Care opened up with just voice and percussion for the first chorus before Paul and Pav joined the party. Abbie took a drum solo and the show was well and truly on the road.

There Was a Time, composed by tenor sax legend Paul Booth. This was a brooding melody by one of my,  maybe the, favourite sax players. It was okay but don't give up the day job Paul.

Long Road, composed by Alice had a a nice swing to it with some interesting tempo/chord changes for Pav to cope with.

Blame it on my Youth - they don't get any better than this. It knocks Summertime into a cocked hat. If you want to be a jazz singer, forget about Cry me a River and study this one and you could do no worse than listening to Alice's version. Paul Grainger also soloed effectively.

I thought it couldn't possibly get any better than this and then, it suddenly did!

Guess Who I Saw Today is surely the greatest song/story in the long history of popular music. Eydie Gormé, Carmen McRae and Nancy Wilson nailed it and so did Alice. With only Pav for accompaniment the story unfolded. Every time I hear this song I wish that I was hearing it for the first time so strong is the punchline. Which brings me to the tiniest of criticism. I felt Alice should have put a little more emphasis on that punchline. But, who am I to criticise a  musical Mona Lisa?

No More Blues, another original from Alice, Travelling Light, led us into another classic. Love You Didn't do Right by me from the movie White Christmas where Rosemary Clooney bemoans losing the love of Bing Crosby who was 25 years her senior but that's Hollywood. 

The afternoon drew to a close with Alice scatting her way through A Night in Tunisia. Dizzy's tune originally included a few bars from Charlie Parker that became known as 'The Famous Alto Break'. Today's audience may remember it as 'The Famous Alice Break'.

Four great musicians at the top of their game. Lance

1 comment :

NeilC said...

A superb lunchtime concert with consummate musicians, in an elegant auditorium and an astounding vocalist, what a wonderful way to spend an lunchtime . A huge thank you to Newcastle University for staging this . The only minor disappointment was it did not generate a huge interest from the Students , yes there were a number there but they were outnumbered by the likes of myself and local jazz fans, which is such a shame because they missed a great show.

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