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Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: '' A Love Supreme coincided with my search for meaning in life". (DownBeat, March 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

17838 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 159of them this year alone and, so far, 6 this month (March 3).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Mon 10: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club.

Tues 11: Solea @ Earthlings, the Healing Café, 94 Buckingham St., Newcastle, NE4 5QR. 7:00-8:45pm. Food available if ordered before 6:30pm. New band: Johannes Dalhuijsen (tenor sax, bass clarinet); Richard Herdman (guitar); Nick Bagnall (bass guitar); John Hirst (drums).
Tue 11: Giles Strong Quartet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm.

Wed 12: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Jam session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 12: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 13: The Exu + Matt Cliffe @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 13: Oh La La! @ Allendale Village Hall, Northumberland. 7:30pm. £12.00.; £6.00. child. Fifi La Mer (accordion, vocals), Oliver Wilby (reeds).
Thu 13: Fiona Finden’s Jazz Express @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 14: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 14: Paul Taylor @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00-2:00pm. £5.00. at the door. Second Friday in the month lunchtime concert series.
Fri 14: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 14: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 14: Brass Funkeys + Dilutey Juice @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £8.00.
Fri 14: Oh La La! @ Edmundbyers Village Hall, Co. Durham. 7:30pm. £12.00.; £10.00. (additional £5.00. supper option, ordered in advance). Fifi La Mer (accordion, vocals), Oliver Wilby (reeds).
Fri 14: The Collective @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £8.50.
Fri 14: Bridget Metcalfe Quintet @ St George’s Venue, Park Road, Hartlepool. 7:30pm.

Sat 15: Hot Teapots @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm.
Sat 15: Creakin’ Bones @ Billy Bootleggers. Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free.
Sat 15: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 15: Is This Jazz? @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Tickets: www.eventbrite.co.uk. Performances by Mu Quintet, Jinjé, A Brief Utopia, John Pope & Co + André Marmot (author of Unapologetic Expression: The Inside Story of the UK Jazz Explosion) in conversation + DJ sets ‘til 3:00am. ‘A Festival of New Jazz’.
Sat 15: Vintage Explosion @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Sat 15: Alligator Gumbo @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm. £15.00.
Sat 15: One Night Standards @ The White Room, Stanley. 8:00pm. £8.67 (inc. bf). Note - previously advertised Salty Dogs cancelled.
Sat 15: Howlin’ Mat @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. 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

Sunday, June 23, 2024

Album review: Mark Winkler - The Rules Don't Apply

Mark Winkler (vocals)+ (collective): John Beasley, Rich Eames, Greg Gordon-Smith, Jamieson Trotter (piano); Gabe Davis, Dan Lutz (bass); Clayton Cameron, Dan Schnell (drums); Kevin Winard (percussion); George Doering, Grant Geissman (guitar); Katisse Buckingham (tenor sax, flute); Danny Janklow (tenor/alto sax, flute); Bob Sheppard (clarinet); Scott Mayo (baritone sax); Errol Rhoden (tuba); Brian Swartz (trumpet); Scott Whitfield (trombone).

I'm confused! This delightful album was reviewed on BSH on January 24 this year by Ann Alex - read HERE. Now, as it isn't due for release until this coming Friday (June 28) it got me to thinking that our Ann has been blessed with those powers associated with Mystic Meg and maybe she could apply them to next Saturday's Northumberland Plate (two miles, 56 yards and off at 3:35pm) in horse racing, inside information is always useful.

The truth is probably more natural than supernatural as Winkler has a launch concert coming up at Pizza Express, Soho, on July 9 which features, alongside himself, Jim Watson, Laurence Cottle, Luke Tomlinson, Nigel Price and Claire Martin OBE. On the strength of the album it sounds like a good gig and it won't end with you tearing up betting slips.

Getting back to the album Ann nails it when she writes: 'a terrific swinging style, and a talent for writing effective lyrics'. I'll second that - the line from Here's to Jazz - 'Jazz is a many-splendoured thing' is the reason I'm writing this and you're reading it.

As regards the Northumberland Plate - blindfold me and hand me a pin. Lance

Sunday in LA*, IGY (What a Beautiful World), The Joy of Singing*, In Love in New York*, Got to Get You Into my Life, The Rules Don't Apply, Something so Right, Just Around the Corner*, If These Walls Could Talk (They'd Sing)*, Jazz Swings*, Mama Told me Not to Come, Lessons I've Learned*, Here's to Jazz*  

*Lyrics by Mark Winkler

2 comments :

Russell said...

Inside information can be useful in political circles...

Ann Alex said...

Lance, This gets stranger than you think because this weekend I've had an earworm going round in my head of the song Mama Told Me Not To Come and it's on this album, so what is going on?
Yes Russell, I should have had a bet on the date of the election. I would give the winnings to BSH funds, that is if BSH had any funds, which it doesn't.

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