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.

Sat 19: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal. All welcome.
Sat 19: Sing Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00-5:00pm. £27.50. Tutor: Alexia Gardner: Nina Simone. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 19: Ray Stubbs’ R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free.

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.

Saturday, October 21, 2023

Sam Toulson Quartet @ Opus 4 Jazz Club, Darlington - Oct. 20

Sam Toulson (alto sax); Edgar Ho (piano); Oscar Ho (double bass): Ansel Bayly (drums)

Following on from a sold out lunchtime concert in Newcastle the Sam Toulson Quartet moved on down the road to Cockerton, Darlington. The Traveller's Rest is home to Opus 4 Jazz Club which, by and large, likes its standards and bebop burners. Four amazingly talent young musicians read the room and set about delivering the goods.

Storm Babet did its best/worst, however, Darlington's jazz fans weren't to be deterred. Alto saxophonist Sam Toulson is a local lad yet, until this evening, he hadn't set foot in the West Auckland Road hostelry. Ready to go at eight, Toulson, the Ho brothers - Edgar (piano), Oscar (double bass) - and, originally from Harrogate, drummer Ansel Bayly - the quartet opened with How Deep is the Ocean? Absolutely sublime, the ensuing thunderous applause said it all, as did the smiles of all four musicians. 

An extended, dynamic take on I Got Rhythm had them a whooping and a hollering. My Little Suede Shoes, Just Friends (Toulson and co were making new friends this evening), Toulson's arrangement of Bonny at Morn, it had been an exhilarating first set.

A dash for the downstairs bar, a(nother) pint of the Ossett, a raft of raffle tickets, it could well have been stormy out on the street, upstairs at the Traveller's Rest, Sam, Edgar, Oscar and Ansel had been brewing up a storm of their own. The interval raffle brough dividends - a winning ticket yielded a CD - Cannonball Adderley's Somethin' Else. A second winning ticket then a third winning ticket, your correspondent did the decent thing: Put them back (in the metaphorical hat). 

The second set opened with Toulson putting down a marker with some blistering bebop alto sax resulting in more deafening applause. You Stepped Out of a Dream showcased the quartet's firm grasp of GASbook material. The Nearness of You reiterated the fact. These guys are something special. And then, what tempo would you like? Cherokee, at the speed of light? You got it! Wow! Follow that, alright - how about a searing After You Gone? Yes, these guys can really, really play! 

It had been a memorable evening, the Sam Toulson Quartet will be back, that's for sure.           
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