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Bebop Spoken There

Xhosa Cole: ''Monk was unapologetically himself". (Jazzwise, 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

17744 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 64 of them this year alone and, so far, 64 this month (Jan. 26).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

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.
Fri 31: King Bees @ Blues Underground; Nelson St., Newcastle. 9:00pm. Free. Superb Chicago blues band.

February 2025

Sat 01: Alan Barnes & John Hallam with the Tom Kincaid Trio @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 01: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £25.00. Tutor: Steve Glendinning - Cy Coleman’s Witchcraft. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 01: Darling Dollies @ St George’s Church, Jesmond, Newcastle. 3:00pm. £10.00. Vocal trio.
Sat 01: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 01: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 01: Rockin’ Turner Brothers @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Western swing etc.

Sun 02: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 02: Lewis Watson Quartet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 02: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free (donations).
Sun 02: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 02: Spilt Milk @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 5:15-7:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 02: Jive Aces @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:00pm. Sun 02: John Pope + Andy Champion + Ian Paterson @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. ‘Subterranean Explorations 1’. Three (half hour) solo bass sets.
Sun 02: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 03: Andy Watt & Dan Rogers @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance. Jazz, blues, folk etc.
Mon 03: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 04: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, North St., Ferryhill DL17 8HX. 7:00pm. Free.
Tue 04: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Ben Phillips, Paul Grainger, Bailey Rudd.
Tue 04: Dilutey Juice + Life Aquatics Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Wed 05: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 05: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 05: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

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, January 17, 2024

The Abbie Finn Trio: Stotties for Three album launch @ The Soho Pizza Express - Jan. 15

Harry Keeble (tenor sax); Paul Grainger (double bass); Abbie Finn (drums)

Stotties for Three. Northerners get it, indeed consume them, stotties, that is. Southerners, on the other hand, that's another matter. The Abbie Finn Trio arrived on Dean Street in Soho determined to educate, inform and, most importantly, entertain. Would the current cold snap deter some 'southern softies' from venturing out? Would they stay home, opting to watch Coronation Street instead? Your northern correspondent is happy to report the Pizza Express attracted a sizeable crowd, there to to listen to Abbie Finn, Harry Keeble and Paul Grainger. 

Northern supporters turned out in force for Abbie Finn's album launch. Stotties for Three, Dean Street Pizza Express, London. How good is that?! Stotties for Three comprises eight tracks, all written by drummer and bandleader Finn. During the course of two sets the album would be performed in its entirety, interspersed with one or two back catalogue numbers, by Finn's long established trio featuring Harry Keeble, tenor sax, and Paul Grainger, double bass. Opening with Mardi Groove, Finn hit a groove right out of New Orleans. At its end, the applause suggested the audience liked what it was hearing. 

210 maintained the momentum (bassist Grainger soloing), Victor Feldman's Seven Steps to Heaven hit the spot, Keeble in turbo-charge mode, Finn soloing, the Dean Street regulars showing their approval. A lyrical Into the Dene took it down, Sheila's Song (for Finn's grandmother) found Finn on the hi-hat, things were going well. To close a fine first set Finn told the story about her determination, as a child, to be a pirate not a princess. And so we heard Pirates Not Princesses!

Sometime later the house lights lowered, it was time for the second set. Tenor saxophonist Keeble brought in Caravan, Grainger and Finn hopping aboard as Keeble stretched out, Finn soloing once more. The applause said it all. Nee Messin' required a word of explanation/translation, after all, we (we northerners) were down in 'the Smoke'. And, nee messin', Finn was straight on the ride cymbal (nee messin', like). Bassist Grainger soloed, drummer Finn, on the snare, taking it out. Great stuff! 

Don Grolnick's Nothing Personal (from the trio's debut album Northern Perspective) went down well with the Dean Street crowd, Keeble burning a la Brecker, the trio in and out of a swing time feel, Finn firing on all cylinders. A louche, bluesy feel to Where Are We Going for Lunch? changed it up, then Catching the Wind, and before we knew it Abbie Finn was introducing the final number of the night. Signing off with Night and Day (a good choice), the Abbie Finn Trio made many new friends here at the Dean Street, Soho Pizza Express. 

Set list: Mardi Groove; 210; Seven Steps to Heaven; Into the Dene; Sheila's Song; Pirates Not Princesses; Caravan; Nee Messin'; Nothing Personal; Where Are We Going for Lunch?; Catching the Wind; Night and Day. 

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