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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

Fri 24: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. CANCELLED! TO BE RESCHEDULED!
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.
Mon 27: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. 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.

Fri 31: Alan Barnes Quartet @ The Old Library, Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 12 noon-2:00pm (two sets). £12.00. admission (card or cash at the door). Barnes (alto sax, baritone sax, clarinet); Alan Law (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums). Note change of venue, no longer at Mrs M’s as advertised, the concert will be in the Old Library (Bishop Auckland Jazz’s regular venue). Important! It’s a ‘BYOB’ arrangement - ie bring your own booze (and/or tea, coffee, soft drinks).
Fri 31: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 31: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 31: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 31: Café Orkestar @ Café Under the Spire, Gateshead. 6:00pm. ‘Klezmer, Gypsy Jazz, Balkan & More!’.
Fri 31: Nothing in Rambling @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £10.00. + bf. Country blues duo.
Fri 31 Zoë Gilby Quartet @ Wylam Institute. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £15.00. + £1.50. bf.
Fri 31: Creakin’ Bones & the Sunday Dinners @ White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £10.00 + bf. Jazz, blues , jump jive, rock ‘n’ roll.
Fri 31: Alan Barnes Quartet @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £15.00 Barnes (alto sax, baritone sax, clarinet); Alan Law (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 31: SwanNek + Rivkala @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 8:00pm. SwanNek’s new single launch gig. Pilgrim, formerly Hoochie Coochie.

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 20, 2023

The Black Swan jam session - Sept. 19

The Black Swan jam session is the one you dare not miss. The familiar faces sat in, it wouldn't be the same without them, but, here's the thing, the coming generation has well and truly arrived. This evening's session would be bookended by two teenage trumpeters and a couple of function band veterans.

At short notice, in the absence of Abbie Finn, the Vice President of the Percussive Arts Society (UK & Ireland) stepped into the breach. The VP is none other than Michael Mather, cue a spontaneous round of applause! The house trio - Stu Collingwood, MC Paul Grainger and VP Mather - got things under way courtesy of Michel Legrand. From here on in the merry-go-round didn't stop all night.

First up, a debutante. Step forward trumpeter Lara William (pictured above). If our newcomer was nervous it didn't show. Measured, restrained, well-schooled, Lara chose to play Sometime Ago. You should have heard the applause! Wow! Lara hung around for a while, sharing the stage with fellow trumpeter Shivan Ruddick (pictured left). The two teens have well and truly made their mark. This being a midweek school night Lara was obliged to leave before the grand finale. She'll be back, that's for sure. 

MC Mr PG couldn't believe his luck. During the evening no fewer than three bass players arrived affording him the opportunity to go to the bar. Three cheers for Owen Jones, Alex Shipsey and John Pope!

Shining lights Paul Ruddick and David Gray lit up the room, Paul blowing some ferocious Baghdaddian alto, 'Showtime' spinning plates - trombone, trumpet and vocals. Newbies Eva Fox (pictured left) and Richard Sutton (pictured below) impressed, Eva singing, Richard playing some mighty fine guitar. Come back soon.

And then there was Luis Verde. Blowing sublime alto sax at intervals during the night, to see out the evening, Luis fancied playing Caravan. All hands on deck, all going for it, Luis took Juan Tizol's epic number to the cleaners. It's been written, it's been documented, Luis is the one to hear. A tremendous musician, if you're yet to hear him play, do yourself a favour, get along to the next jam session, you never know, he might be there. 

Note, the next Black Swan jam session will be on Tuesday 3rd October (the pattern is 'first and third Tuesdays in the month'). It's a seven thirty start and it's free, yes, free admission. Where's the Black Swan? In the basement of Newcastle Arts Centre, Westgate Road, Newcastle (two mins' walk from Central Station). Russell

Stu Collingwood (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Michael Mather (drums) + Lara William (trumpet); Luis Verde (alto sax); Kate O'Neill (vocals); David Gray (trombone, trumpet, vocals); Owen Jones (double bass); Paul Ruddick (alto sax); Shivan Ruddick (trumpet); Alex Shipsey (bass guitar); Dan ? (drums); Esther Coombes (alto sax, clarinet); Lisa ? (vocals); Liam ? (guitar); Murray Wankling (piano); Richard Sutton (guitar); Eva Fox (vocals); Adam Sams (guitar); John Pope (double bass); Ian Drever (vocals); Edgar Bell (trumpet)    

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