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Bebop Spoken There

Sullivan Fortner: ''I always judge it by the bass player: If the bass player is happy, it's going to be a good night". (DownBeat, February 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

17777 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 98 of them this year alone and, so far, 23 this month (Feb.8).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Sun 09: The New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 09: Glenn Miller & Big Band Spectacular @ The Forum, Billingham. 3:00pm.
Sun 09: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Tom Remon & Mark Williams @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 09: Rod Oughton’s Tomorrow’s New Quartet with Ben van Helder @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Line-up inc. Deschanel Gordon.
Sun 09: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 10: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 11: Steve Summers Quintet @ 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: Student Performances @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 4:00pm. Free. Inc. Olly Styles (tenor sax).
Thu 13: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: Artist Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Hannabiell & Midnight Blue.
Thu 13: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 14: John Rowland Trio @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 12:30-1:30pm. £5.00. at the door. New second Friday in the month 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: Archipelago + Anna Tempest @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £8.00.
Fri 14: Paul Jones & Dave Kelly @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. Rhythm & blues.
Fri 14: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Fri 14: Jazz Sabbath @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 15: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 15: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 15: Elkie Brooks @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. ‘The Long Farewell Tour’.
Sat 15: Milne Glendinning Band @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

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

Thursday, July 25, 2024

The Ronnie Scott's Story @ The Fire Station, Sunderland - July 24

Polly Gibbons (vocals); Alex Garnett (tenor sax); James Pearson (MD, piano); Sam Burgess (double bass); Chris Higginbottom (drums) 

The Ronnie Scott's Story continues doing the rounds and little wonder given it attracts large attendances at venues up and down the land. Sunderland's Fire Station once again welcomed James Pearson and co, and they, the musicians, were welcomed by a full house. It's a multi-media show - still and moving images projected onto a screen above and behind the on-stage musicians - telling the story of 47 Frith Street and its predecessor Gerrard Street.

The format is commendably simple; the story of Ronnie Scott, his now legendary Soho jazz club and its many ups and downs, his many associates (musicians and non-musicians) and, of course, the music. Here in Sunderland, pianist James Pearson (Ronnie Scott's Artistic Director), bassist Sam Burgess and drummer Chris Higginbottom found themselves improvising, thinking on their feet right from the off as a minor glitch in the audio-visuals rendered an on-screen Ronnie Scott speechless. As a stage technician scurried hither and thither, the piano trio played some jazz. More! More! 

Glitch fixed, the on-screen Ronnie Scott was seen and heard blowing tenor in his office, pausing to answer a ringing phone: Scott, repeating a punter's query: What time do we start? Quick as a flash: What time can you get here? Laughter rippled across the auditorium, the show was up and running.

Alex Garnett duly joined Ronnie's house trio. During the course of the evening tenor saxophonist Garnett, taking on the role of narrator, fired-off a string of well-honed one-liners, the audience in the palm of his hand. Polly Gibbons strolled onto stage. BSH's most recent sighting of Ms Gibbons singing 'up north' was with the Strictly Smokin' Big Band. This evening PG reminded everyone - if anyone needed reminding - just how good she is. Dynamics, phrasing, power, presence, the full package. 

Numbers ranged from Groovin' High to I'm Just a Lucky So-and-So to Like Someone in Love to a drum feature for Chris Higginbottom, Sing, Sing, Sing (the Buddy Rich-Frith Street connection). For a few moments Gibbons and bassist Sam Burgess had the stage to themselves as they conjured a magical take on I Love Being Here with You. A Latin feel Love for Sale illustrated the era of Cuban/Latin musicians performing at Frith Street (Arturo Sandoval, Irakere ao) and it wasn't long before Sonny Rollins made the cut with Alfie's Theme (Garnett cruising). 

Photos of some of the many great names to play at Ronnie's appeared on screen. Alex Garnett wondered if we knew who they were. Amazingly, few in the auditorium offered suggestions. Didn't they know Roland Kirk? Seemingly not. Dexter Gordon, nope, Ben Webster ditto. A photo of a young Ronnie Scott produced a moment of hilarity as a voice piped up 'Acker Bilk'!   

Garnett made much, rightly so, of the fact the tenor he was playing once belonged to Ronnie Scott. It was in good hands. To close the show, Polly Gibbons sang three numbers associated with Nina Simone (Simone one of the legendary figures to appear at Ronnie's): I'm Going Back HomeI Put a Spell on You and I Wish I Knew How it Would Fell to be Free. An encore was all but guaranteed. As Ella sang on screen, our on-stage musicians, perfectly in sync, picked it up on It Don't Mean a Thing. It had been another excellent night here on Frith Street, aka High St. West, Sunderland. Russell                  

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