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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

17923 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 244 of them this year alone and, so far, 91 this month (March 31).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Thu 03: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Women in Jazz.
Thu 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 03: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. A Tees Hot Club promotion. First Thursday in the month.

Fri 04: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 04: Ruth Lambert Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Fri 04: Tom McGuire & the Brassholes @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00.
Fri 04: Nicolas Meier’s Infinity Group + Spirit of Jeff Beck @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm.

Sat 05: Tenement Jazz Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 05: Sleep Suppressor @ Head of Steam, Newcastle. 5:30-6:00pm.
Sat 05: King Bees @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Raymond MacDonald & Jer Reid @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 6:00-9:30pm. £7.72., £1.00. (minimum donation). MacDonald & Reid + Objections + Yotuns.
Sat 05: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Kamasi Washington @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £33.00.
Sat 05: Vermont Big Band @ The Seahorse, Whitley Bay. 7:30pm. Tickets: £10.00 (from the venue).
Sat 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 06: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 06: Learning & Participation Showcase @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm (1:00pm doors). Free. Featuring participants from Play More Jazz! Play More Folk! Blue Jam Singers & more.
Sun 06: Joe Steels Group @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Ferg Kilsby, Joe Steels, Ben Lawrence, Paul Susans, John Hirst.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Hooch, Quayside, Newcastle. 6:00pm.
Sun 06: Leeway @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 07: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 08: ???

Wed 09: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 09: Tannery jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm.
Wed 09: Anatole Muster Trio @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £17.50., £12.50. concs.
Wed 09: 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, November 08, 2023

The Classic Jazz Party @ The Village Hotel, North Tyneside - Nov. 3 (evening)

Friday evening's programme began with something a little different. Michel 'Doc' Bastide made a welcome return to North Tyneside to present A Selection of Rare Jazz Films from his extensive collection of movie rarities. There would be three opportunities - Friday evening, Saturday morning, Sunday morning - to attend a screening and the demand was such that each 'house' would be over subscribed. A rare treat indeed.

Richard Pite's Party Pieces presented a miscellany of melodic mischief with six musical marvels. A fun way to start the evening's entertainment. From Pite's melodic mischief to a long overdue look at the work of the little-known saxophonist Loren McMurray. The Saxophone of Loren McMurray occupied much of Michael McQuaid's time researching, transcribing and, here at the Village Hotel, finally presenting the music of McMurray to an attentive full house. 

Runnin' Wild - the Benny Goodman Trio couldn't fail to deliver the goods. The music of the ever-popular BG trio wows the punters every time and here at the CJP, making his festival debut, Lorenzo Baldasso charmed his audience. A contemporary of fellow countryman Mauro Porro, Baldasso (reeds), working with pianist David Boeddinghaus and drummer Josh Duffee made a big impression. It's likely we'll be seeing - and hearing - more of L. Baldasso in the future.

Claus Jacobi spent many an hour writing out charts for the evening's grand finale. Listen to the Doc! Doc Cook's Dreamland Orchestra presented the swinging sounds of Doc Cook's 1920s' Chicago outfit - Freddie Keppard, Jimmie Noone, Johnny St. Cyr et al - as heard at Paddy Harmon's legendary Dreamland venue. Jacobi assembled a to-die-for orchestra: Andy Schumm (cornet), Torstein Kubban (trumpet), the reeds of Messrs McQuaid, Porro, Exall and Jacobi himself, Andrew Oliver (piano), Henry Lemaire (banjo), Spats Langham (banjo, ukulele, vocals), Malcolm Sked (tuba) and Nick Ball (drums). A fitting end to a long day of top quality jazz. 

Ah, not quite the end! At eleven o'clock, the audience, as one, scurried round to the hotel bar for the first of three late night jam sessions. A front row table, a pint of Guinness (the first of several), the session led by French trumpeter Malo Mazurié, this being the weekend of Guy Fawkes, the word 'incendiary' came to mind. And sure enough, we heard superb, blistering trumpet playing courtesy of Monsieur Mazurié. The house band included the impressive Lorenzo Baldasso blowing some scintillating clarinet, the Crescent City's David Boeddinghaus at the upright and David Horniblow dropping anchor on bass sax. The sitters-in were many, all A-list, including, up from Bristol, the ebullient Jack Calloway, clarinet (see photo), Mauro Porro at the house piano, yes piano. Signor Porro is an amazing multi-instrumentalist (reeds, piano), arranger, bandleader etc...

Porro isn't alone in being an amazing musician here at the Classic Jazz Party. From France, Henry Lemaire's propulsive string bass playing never fails to excite, CJP favourite Félix Hunot playing banjo and leaping up to sing a chorus or two. Is there no end to their talents? It was silly o'clock, the hotel staff began setting out breakfast tables (a not-so-subtle hint that it was time to sleep). Saturday (day two of this year's Classic Jazz Party) would soon be dawning. Russell  

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