Bebop Spoken There

Melissa Aldana: ''Having to play a ballads album, which is something very revealing for a saxophone player, would help me to question some new aspects of how to go deeper into sound." (DownBeat May, 2026)

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

18585 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 449 of them this year alone and, so far this month (May 31) 103

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

From This Moment On

June

Wed 03: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 03: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 03: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 04: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 04: Postmodern Jukebox @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm.
Thu 04: Webster’s Ragtime Trio @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 7:30pm. £17.00. Trio from Texas, USA.
Thu 04: King Bees @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Chicago blues excellence!
Thu 04: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Thu 04: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 05: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 05: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 05: FILM: Köln 75 @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. 3:20pm. Dir. Ido Fluk. Drama based on the true story of Keith Jarrett’s 1975 concert in Cologne.
Fri 05: House of the Black Gardenia: Summer Tyne Swing Festival @ Northumbria University Students’ Union, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £130.00; £95.00; £70.00; £50.00. Note: all day dance event (classes & socials). House of the Black Gardenia evening performance. Day 1/3.
Fri 05: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band + IKS Big Band @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £24.00. Big band double bill. IKS Big Band (Germany).
Fri 05: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £15.00

Sat 06: FILM: Köln 75 @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. 2:40pm. Dir. Ido Fluk. Drama based on the true story of Keith Jarrett’s 1975 concert in Cologne.
Sat 06: Struggle Buggy @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 3:00pm. Free. Blues.
Sat 06: Teresa Watson Band @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free. Blues.
Sat 06: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Dry Water Arts, Amble. 7:00pm (6:30pm doors). £15.00.
Sat 06: IKS Big Band: Summer Tyne Swing Festival @ Northumbria University Students’ Union, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £130.00; £95.00; £70.00; £50.00. Note: all day dance event (classes & socials). IKS Big Band evening performance. Day 2/3.
Sat 06: Tyne Valley Big Band @ Northumbrian Revival, West Benridge Farm, nr. Morpeth NE61 3RZ. 7:30-9:30pm. £21.47 (£2.77. child). 82nd D-Day anniversary event.
Sat 06: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 06: FILM: The Magic City: Birmingham According to Sun Ra @ The Burnlaw Centre, Hexham NE47 8HF. A weekend event in association with Star & Shadow Cinema. Film screening at 9:30pm. £28.02. Dir. Guillaume Maupin & Pablo Guarise.

Sun 07: FILM: Köln 75 @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. 11:00am. Dir. Ido Fluk. Drama based on the true story of Keith Jarrett’s 1975 concert in Cologne.
Sun 07: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 07: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Feat. guest Steve Walker (trumpet).
Sun 07: Joe Steels: Celebrating Wes @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Trio: Joe Steels, Mick Shoulder, Abbie Finn.
Sun 07: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Sun 07: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 07: Eddie Gripper Trio @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Gripper (piano); Clem Saynor (double bass); Patrick Barrett-Donlon (drums). Americana album tour.
Sun 07: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 07: Magpies of Swing: Summer Tyne Swing Festival @ Northumbria University Students’ Union, Newcastle. 4:00pm. £130.00; £95.00; £70.00; £50.00. Note: all day dance event (classes & socials). Magpies of Swing afternoon performance. Day 3/3.
Sun 07: FILM: Köln 75 @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. 5:40pm. Dir. Ido Fluk. Drama based on the true story of Keith Jarrett’s 1975 concert in Cologne.
Sun 07: Webster’s Ragtime Trio @ The Ship Inn, Low Newton. 7:00pm. £12.50. Trio from Texas, USA.
Sun 07: Salty Dog @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:00pm. £5.00. Performance in the Studio venue.
Sun 07: Ian Millar & Dominic Spencer @ Riding Mill Village Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Sun 07: Swing Manouche @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Feat. Steve McGarvie (clarinet).

Mon 08: FILM: Köln 75 @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. 11:50am. Dir. Ido Fluk. Drama based on the true story of Keith Jarrett’s 1975 concert in Cologne.
Mon 08: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 08: FILM: Köln 75 @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. 5:15pm. Dir. Ido Fluk. Drama based on the true story of Keith Jarrett’s 1975 concert in Cologne.
Mon 08: Dave Bristow Quintet @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £22.00., £11.00., £5.50. Bristow (piano); Christian Altehülshorst (trumpet); Félix Hardouin (alto sax); Gabriel Pierre (double bass); Guillaume Prévost (drums).

Tue 09: FILM: Köln 75 @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. 3:00pm. Dir. Ido Fluk. Drama based on the true story of Keith Jarrett’s 1975 concert in Cologne.
Tue 09: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 09: FILM: Köln 75 @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. 8:10pm. Dir. Ido Fluk. Drama based on the true story of Keith Jarrett’s 1975 concert in Cologne.

Wednesday, July 17, 2024

The Just Friends Black Swan jam session - July 16

Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Abbie Finn (drums) + Harry Keeble (tenor sax); Conor Emery (trombone); Kate O'Niell (vocals); Edgar Bell (cornet); Dan Potter (drums); Liam Oliver (guitar); John Rowland (tenor sax); Daisy (vocals); Esther Coombes (clarinet, alto sax); Lisa (vocals); Theo Nolan (drums); Ian Drever (vocals); Patrick (guitar); Ian White (tenor sax); David Gray (trombone, trumpet); Remy Coulthard Boardman (vocals) 

The rain hammered down. What's new? Turning into the courtyard of Newcastle Arts Centre, pools of water stood everywhere. Splish! Splash! No one but no one would venture out tonight, would they? Mine host, Kay, took pity on the bedraggled, opening the doors half an hour before the advertised time. 

Descending the stairs - squelch, squelch - it became apparent the roof was leaking! Strategically placed kitchen roll in front of the house Gretsch kit soaked up the constant drip, drip, drip of rainwater. Summertime? Ha! Mad dogs or jazz fans, foolishly or otherwise, the regulars and more than a few newbies braved the elements. The house trio - the irrepressible Alan Law, piano, jam session MC, Paul Grainger, bass, and award-winning drummer Abbie Finn - opened up with Who Can I Turn to? The Anthony Newley-Leslie Bricusse number proved to be a welcome departure from the usual jam session fayre.

The Black Swan jam session is, if nothing else, a friendly affair. MC Grainger invited the first of the evening's hopefuls to join the trio, tenor saxophonist Harry Keeble. When HK is around it's time to straighten up and listen. I Could Write a Book - excellent. Responding to the call: Conor Emery to the main deck*, recent graduate student musician Conor Emery, cradling his trombone, skirted around the sodden patch on the basement's tiled floor. The Sidewinder upped the ante, HK and CE tearing into the Lee Morgan classic. Just Friends summed up what the Black Swan is all about - the rhythm section cooking, the front line knocking out first rate solos. 

Accompanied by Edgar Bell's distinctive cornet sound and Liam Oliver's excellent guitar playing, Kate O'Niell sang Stormy Weather. John Rowland called Blues Walk - good choice! Excellent contributions from JR, Liam Oliver and the rhythm section powered along Blakey-style by Abbie Finn. Daisy sang Cry Me a River with Esther 'Excellent Attendance' Coombes on clarinet. Lisa handed out charts to the house trio, choosing to sing a heart-wrenching Misty. 

A changing of the guard found Theo Nolan behind the traps and Patrick playing guitar. The two tenors of John Rowland and Ian White (Esther on alto sax) went round and round with Watermelon Man. In recent weeks Patrick has got the hang of this jam session thing, as for Ian White, our tenor man is a welcome presence anytime. Dat Dere a great choice with more of the propulsive Blakey drive courtesy of A. Finn. 

Ian Drever reprised a Foggy Day (Alan Law expertly charting a course out of the pea-souper), then, before we knew it, the Good Ship Black Swan was in open water. Remi CB (that's Remi Coulthard Boardman) rocked up to sing, really sing, Etta James' classic I Just Want to Make Love to You with bar-walking tenor from H. Keeble. Superb! As the Good Ship Black Swan sailed into the sunset, all hands were summoned to blow on Impressions. It had been yet another canny night down on Westgate Road. The next one (Tuesday August 6, 7:30pm sharp) is sure to be every bit as good.          
                  
 * Conor Emery is soon to embark on the trip of a lifetime. Our affable, excellent trombonist has landed himself a proper job and a plum one at that. From Newcastle University to a sunshine cruise ship engagement. From all at the Black Swan jam session - Good luck and bon voyage!         
at

No comments :

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments ( Atom )

Blog Archive