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Bebop Spoken There

Kurt Elling: ''There's something to learn from every musician you play with''. (DownBeat, December 2024).

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

17641 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 915 of them this year alone and, so far, 60 this month (Dec. 26).

From This Moment On ...

December

Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free. Business as usual!.
Fri 27: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 27: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sat 28: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 11:30am. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 28: Fri 20: Castillo Nuevo @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 28: Jude Murphy, Rich Herdman & Giles Strong @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 28: Ray Stubbs R & B All-Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Stepney Bank, Newcastle. 9:00pm. Free.

Sun 29: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 29: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 30: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Wheatsheaf, Benton Sq., Whitley Road, Palmersville NE12 9SU. Tel: 0191 266 8137. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 30: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.

Tue 31: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 12 noon-2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Tue 31: Lapwing Trio @ Wallington (National Trust), Cambo, Morpeth NE61 4AR. 12 noon & 2:00pm. Admission to site £19.00.
Tue 31: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Tue 31: Archie Brown & Friends @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00-8:00pm. Free.

January 2025

Wed 01: ???

Thu 02: ???

Fri 03: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 03: John Gregory @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar.

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

Friday, June 21, 2024

Alan Barnes Salutes Wally Fawkes @ the Lit & Phil - June 21

© Patti
Alan Barnes (clarinet); Dean Stockdale (piano); Mick Shoulder (bass); Abbie Finn (drums) + Harry Keeble (tenor sax)

The first time I heard Alan Barnes he was blowing alto sax with Tommy Chase's hard bop quartet back in 1986. This lunchtime he was on clarinet in a tribute to Wally Fawkes who would have been 100-years-old this very day.

It would be difficult to conjure up two more contrasting extremes but jazz is a big river and Barnes is one of those rare fish who is never out of the water whatever the prevailing tide. Even the ringing of a member of the audience's mobile didn't faze him!

Backed by the outstanding Dean Stockdale Trio - stars in their own right -, the clarinettist captured to perfection the spirit of the man whose centennial we were celebrating. Although Barnes' tone is more DeFranco than that of Fawkes' early idol Sidney Bechet it didn't lesson the impact of his playing one iota. 

© Patti
The sixty minutes didn't seem like an hour - the set just flew by. Barnes, as always, played the court jester in between tunes even referring to myself as 'his Boswell' when he observed me taking copious notes! 

The set comprised Fawkes' originals: Closing Time; Whatever Next?*; Trog's Blues* and The Sweeper. A couple of Bechet's: Moulin à Café (a.k.a. The Coffee Grinder) and  Si Tu Vois Ma Mere as well as two standards: As Long as I Live and Isham Jones' Spain - not to be confused with the Chick Corea tune of the same name.

It was a great afternoon and I had a spring(ish) in my step as I emerged from the historic library into the glorious sunshine. After the music the sun wouldn't have dared to do anything but shine. Paradoxically, after six months of awful weather folks are now complaining about the heat - some people...

*Harry Keeble sat in on tenor for a couple of numbers impressing everyone. 'Boz'

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1 comment :

Alan Barnes said...

Thanks for this!

I had a lovely afternoon and it was great to see you

Saturday, June 22, 2024 12:57:00 pm

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