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Bebop Spoken There

Steve Coleman: ''If you don't keep learning, your mind slows down. Use it or lose it''. (DownBeat, January 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

17733 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 53 of them this year alone and, so far, 53 this month (Jan. 20).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Wed 22: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 22: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 22: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 22: Pasadena Roof Orchestra @ Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm.

Thu 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free. Fortnightly.
Thu 23: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Obituaries 2024.
Thu 23: Jason Isaacs @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:30-6:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Thu 23: Pedal Point Trio @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 24: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Creakin’ Bones & the Sunday Dinners @ Lindisfarne Social Club, Wallsend. 9:00pm. Admission: TBC. Jazz, blues , jump jive, rock ‘n’ roll.

Sat 25: Boys of Brass @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:30-5:30pm. Free.
Sat 25: New '58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson's Wharf, Hartlepool. 6:30pm (doors). Free. A Burns' Night event. Jazz, swing, funk, soul, blues etc.
Sat 25: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 25: Red Kites Jazz @ Parish Hall, St Barnabas’ Church, Rowlands Gill. 7:30pm. £10.00. BYOB (tea & coffee available), raffle. Proceeds to St Barnabas’ Church. Performance feat. Shayo (vocals).
Sat 25: Jack & Jay’s Songbook @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Graham Hardy Eclectic Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 26: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 26: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:30pm. Free.
Sun 26: Gratkowski, Tramontana, Beresford, Affifi @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.
Sun 26: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 27: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 28: ???

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Thu 30: Matters Unknown (aka Jonathan Enser, Nubiyan Twist) + support TBA @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £12.22 (gig & food); £9:04 (gig only).
Thu 30: Soznak @ The Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 30: Struggle Buggy @ Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Rhythm & blues.

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, September 06, 2023

Black Swan Jam Session - Sept. 5

Not, in truth, a vintage jam session, no duelling banjos or solos that lasted twice as long as February although there were fleeting moments of class.

The house trio for the evening set the marker opening up their short set with Stella by Starlight and closing with All the Things You Are. This got me to thinking I could write  jam session set lists - any jam session - in advance except that never in a month of Tuesdays would I have included Steve Kuhn's Saga of Henry Crabfeather, the number book-ended by the other two!

It was back to the script as Kate O'Neill stepped up for a lusty rendition of Misty, followed by My Baby Just Cares For me. Isn't it about time the lyric was updated? Lana who? 

Ian Drever did a job on The Good Life and Maybe Next Time - maybe. As an afterthought I wondered if the brickwork had been checked.

David 'Showtime' Gray played trumpet and sang You Took Advantage of me. It was fine although King D's drum solo, brilliant as it was, seemed somewhat out of context.

Stan Woodward on bass guitar took over from PG so that we had 50% of the original Knats. The indefatigable Edgar joined the party and they took Miss Jones to the cleaners. 

Cantaloupe Island had jam session debutante Luke Allen on keyboard and a funky solo by Woodward. Showtime had solos on trumpet and trombone. On Chick Corea's 500 Miles High his triple tonguing on trombone was a testimony to his technique.

A further switcheroo brought in Alon Dagan on keys and another first-timer, Harry X on drums to back Bethany Tate who sang Misty. Unlike the earlier version by Kate this was softer and more simpatico with the composer's intent. Two individualistic approaches. You Don't Know What Love is sang Bethany. The room, judging by the applause, know now.

We were entering the home straight. Ray Burns played and sang This Masquerade with Esther doodling on alto. However, when she switched to clarinet, the doodling was done and she meant business. It won't be long before the local traddies will be waving their cheque books (piggy banks) to entice her to the coast. Laurence Harrison and the ubiquitous Showtime helped out on Blue Bossa followed by her signature dish Mr. P.C.

Le tout ensemble assembled for the closing It Don't Mean a Thing (if it Ain't Got That Swing). Harrison moved over to keyboard resulting in a rousing finale to an evening that, as always, turned out fine again. Lance

Steve Glendinning (guitar); Paul Grainger (bass); King David Ike-Elechi (drums) + David Gray, Edgar Bell (trumpet); David Gray (trombone); Esther Coombes (clarinet/alto sax); Ray Burns (harmonica); Harry ? (drums); Laurence Harrison (guitar); Stan Woodward (bass guitar); Alon Dagan, Luke Allen, Laurence Harrison (keys); Kate O'Neill, Ian Drever, David  Gray, Bethany Tate, Ray Burns (vocals).


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