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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

Monday, April 29, 2024

Postmodern Jukebox @ the Glasshouse - April 28


Rogelio Douglas Jr. (vocals MC); Sarah Potenza, Ashley Campbell + 2 (vocals); Kyle Morgan (tenor sax, clarinet, flute); ? (trombone);  ? (guitar); Adam Kubota (bass); Tony ? (piano); Jack Amblin (drums, washboard); ? (dancer)

Once again the 'three bus' syndrome came into play. Three gigs, two in the same building, and each one as tasty as a Sunday dinner of sherry trifle, roast lamb and apple crumble served on the finest porcelain tableware.

As well as a foot-stomping session at the Globe, the Andrew McCormack Trio featuring Kyle Eastwood were in Sage Two at the Glasshouse whilst in Sage One it was the all-singing, all-dancing machine known as Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox.

I opted for the latter - me and maybe a thousand others some of whom had travelled a fair distance. The girl sitting next to me was from Billingham which is a good place to come from.

It was an audience who had came  to party and party they did. For those who had been asleep for the past one hundred years it must have been like waking up in a brave new world as PMJ's concept of remodelling modern pop songs into the style of a bygone era hit them where it didn't hurt.

Five singers, a hoofer and a six-piece band worked their socks off in various permutations to the delight  of all concerned.

I can't give a blow by blow account - how can you write  in the dark when you're on your feet clapping your hands whilst dancing cheek to cheek?

To say PMJ's renditions of the unoriginal are original is putting it mildly. It's Not Unusual played on a washboard is unusual as is Bowie, D's Life on Mars? when sung by a slinky blonde in a figure-hugging sparkly gown.

The whole cast belting out It's All About the Bass, the girl tap dancer performing miracles with her pedal extremities, Kyle Morgan on reeds - there must have been a lot of Kyles in the Glasshouse last night, I counted at least two of them - the ebullient MC, in fact the whole caboodle. Roll on next year. 


Earlier, the duo of Lady Rose and Ricci got everyone in the right frame of mind for what was to follow with a 30 minute set that included such gems as Ray Charles' Hit the Road Jack and the Ronettes' Be my Baby. The scene was set, we were warmed up and I look forward to hearing them again. Lance

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