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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

17719 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 39 of them this year alone and, so far, 39 this month (Jan. 15).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Sun 19: Glenn Miller Orchestra UK @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 3:00pm. ‘Glenn Miller & the Rat Pack Era’.
Sun 19: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 19: Spilt Milk @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 5:15-7:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 19: Tenement Jazz Band @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 19: Nick Ross Orchestra @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm.
Sun 19: Freight Train (Tobin/Noble/Clarvis) @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 19: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 20: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 21: ???

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.
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: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 25: Jack & Jay’s Songbook @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

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, February 07, 2024

The Easily Confused Black Swan jam session @ Newcastle Arts Centre - Feb. 6

Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass, drums); Abbie Finn (drums) + Harry Keeble (tenor sax, piano); Shivan Ruddick (trumpet); Paul Ruddick (alto sax); Ian Drever (vocals); Alec Gamble (guitar); Alex Shipsey (bass guitar, drums); John Rowland (tenor sax); Miriam McCormick (vocals); James Palmer (trumpet); Johannes Dalhuitsen (bass clarinet, tenor sax); Owen Jones (double bass); Kate O'Neill (vocals); Lily ? (vocals);  David Gray (trombone, vocals); Edgar Bell (trumpet); Esther Coombes (clarinet, alto sax); Eva Fox (vocals) 

A typical Black Swan jam session sees the house trio playing a few tunes to warm up before the first of many sitters-in get up to do their thing. This evening there was the temptation to describe the occasion as 'the the easily confused jam session'! If you took your eye off the ball for a moment (ie went to the bar, wc etc.) you could be forgiven for not knowing who came off the bench for who, particularly as more than one musician opted to play an instrument other than their usual instrument of choice.    

The house trio - Alan Law, Paul Grainger and Abbie Finn - played a blinder (I'm Through with Love and Mo' Better Blues). What followed would become increasingly difficult to document thanks to the merry go round picking up speed with little sign of it slowing down. First to jump aboard, Harry Keeble (tenor sax), joined by Shivan Ruddick (trumpet), set the standard with two gems - A Train and You Stepped Out of a Dream. From here on in they came from all sides - Ian Drever booming Ol' Blue Eyes, John Rowland (tenor sax), Miriam McCormick, accompanied by Black Swan newbie James Palmer (trumpet), singing Love Me or Leave Me, Johannes Dalhuitsen taming his serpentine bass clarinet, vocalist Kate O'Niell giving it some, the list goes on. 

The list became somewhat confusing...Harry Keeble, piano (!), bassist Alec Shipsey playing drums (!), jam session MC Paul Grainger playing drums (!). A rub of the eyes, yep, Shipsey and Grainger as drummers, HK the piano man. Vocalist Lily impressed singing Jobim in Portuguese, late off the bench, Showtime (David Gray) and Esther Coombes. When EC is called up you know it's almost the witching hour. MC Grainger (back on bass) assembled all the horns (those left standing) for the traditional eyeballs-out finale.

The next Black Swan jam session is set for Tuesday 20 February featuring the house trio - Ben Phillips (piano), Mr P. Grainger (bass), Mark Robertson (drums) and, no doubt, countless sitters-in. It's a half past seven start, arrive early or you might not get a seat! Russell  

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