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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

17733 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 53 of them this year alone and, so far, 53 this month (Jan. 20).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

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. SOLD OUT!
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: New '58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson's Wharf, Hartlepool. 6:30pm (doors). Free. A Burns' Night event. Jazz, swing, funk, soul, blues etc.
Sat 25: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 25: Red Kites Jazz @ Parish Hall, St Barnabas’ Church, Rowlands Gill. 7:30pm. £10.00. BYOB (tea & coffee available), raffle. Proceeds to St Barnabas’ Church. Performance feat. Shayo (vocals).
Sat 25: Jack & Jay’s Songbook @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Graham Hardy Eclectic Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 26: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 26: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:30pm. Free.
Sun 26: Gratkowski, Tramontana, Beresford, Affifi @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.
Sun 26: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 27: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 28: ???

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

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.

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, May 27, 2024

Northumberland Jazz Festival: Paul Edis Trio with Bruce Adams & Alan Barnes + Jambone @ Queen's Hall, Hexham - May 25

The Northumberland Jazz Festival (formerly Hexham Jazz Festival) presented two days of top quality jazz to a series of appreciative audiences. Queen's Hall, Hexham Library and the Sele hosted concerts by the Paul Edis Trio with special guests Bruce Adams and Alan Barnes, a scratch Alice Grace Trio, the Tyne Valley Youth Big Band, Bryony Jarman-Pinto and the Clark Tracey Quintet.

Saturday: Paul Edis Trio with Bruce Adams & Alan Barnes + Jambone

© Sheila Herrick
Paul Edis (piano); Ken Marley (double bass); Russ Morgan (drums) with Bruce Adams (trumpet, cornet, flugelhorn); Alan Barnes (alto sax, baritone sax)

Queen's Hall, Saturday evening, pianist Paul Edis returned to the Northumberland market town to open this year's rebranded festival. Bassist Ken Marley travelled over from west of the Pennines, drummer Russ Morgan from down the road on Tyneside. Edis' special guests - Bruce Adams and Alan Barnes - arrived from way down south. Cannonball Adderley, Bix Beiderbecke, Hoagy Carmichael, Blue Mitchell and Jimmy Smith would figure in an eclectic set list.

© Sheila Herrick
Anything by Cannonball Adderley is right up Alan Barnes' street, Blues Mitchell's Fungii Mama let Bruce Adams off the leash, Skylark featured the genial Scot on flugelhorn and, the surprise of the evening, picking up his cornet to play Davenport Blues. Edis' rhythm section saw plenty of action - Ken Marley* rock solid and no slouch as a soloist, Russ Morgan covering everything with ease. Jimmy Smith's Motorin' Along concluded a marvellous straight ahead session.

Earlier, MD Jason Holcomb put the Gateshead Glasshouse youth jazz ensemble Jambone through its paces. 

Jambone: Jason Holcomb (MD); alto sax; clarinet; trumpet (x2); trombone; piano; bass; drums & vibes; drums & percussion (x2)

Shorn of numbers in recent times (the small matter of a pandemic and funding issues), Jambone appears to be coming through tough times. Under the direction of Jason Holcomb, the Gateshead based outfit is showing signs of life. It helps that Holcomb is an enthusiastic educator, transmitting his enthusiasms to his young charges. 

Drafting in Conor Emery for the occasion to help bolster the ensemble, Holcomb ensured there was a lot of 'bone action for his fellow trombonist, featuring on several numbers, including Pick Up the Pieces One by One (Fred Wesley's homage to the Average White Band). Introducing the number, Holcomb teased Emery saying: No pressure, kiddo! A good set.

Bruce Adams expressed his delight at working one again with Ken Marley, after a gap of some twenty years! Russell

 


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