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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

Sunday, September 29, 2024

Emma Smith w. Strictly Smokin' Big Band @ the Common Room, Newcastle - Sept. 29

© Russell/Patti
Emma Smith (vocals); Michael Lamb (MD, trumpet); Pete Tanton, Billy Bradshaw, Tom Rushton (trumpets); John Flood, Mark Ferris, Keiran Parnaby, Chris Kurgi-Smith (trombones); Steve Summers, Keith Robinson, Jamie Toms, Matt Forster, Sue Ferris (reeds); Graham Don (piano); Pawel Jedrzejewski (guitar); Michael Whent (bass guitar); Dave McKeague (drums); Alice Grace (vocals)

We've had a run of great gigs over the last few weeks and tonight's concert, at the Common Room on the corner of Orchard St., ranks alongside the best of them as the capacity crowd would surely testify to.

On record, Emma Smith is fantastic, live she is double fantastic and with a swinging big band - well I guess I'll have to find a new thesaurus of superlatives!

She's that good...

A choice selection of standards: On the Sunny Side of the Street; Fascinating Rhythm; I Only Have Eyes For You; I'm Beginning to See the Light; It Had to be You; Ding Dong the Witch is Dead; One For my Baby; I Feel Like a Natural Woman and Honeysuckle Rose (encore).  Plus excellent originals in the form of: Get Out of my Life Woman; Monogamy Blues and Sit on my Knee and Tell me You Love me made for a varied programme that drew a well-deserved standing ovation.

Of course all this was driven along by the SSBB who, over the years, led by the indefatigable Michael Lamb, have backed so many top singers and instrumentalists that nothing, seemingly, fazes them - least of all Alice Grace, who does her own thing proving she's a star in her own right. Blue Moon; Just One of Those Things and Cherokee sounded good although the sound system didn't do her justice in the first set - or maybe it was related to where I was sitting way back. 

From a visual point of view, tiered seating would have helped. But hey that's nitpicking! This was a great concert with two top singers and a kickass big band packed with ace soloists within their ranks. Who could ask for anything more? I ask you, who... could ask for anything more?

Not me! Lance

2 comments :

Russell said...

Yet another SSBB triumph! Emma & Alice...wow!

Brian Shine said...

I cannot understand why Emma has not been invited to play up here in the past, Emma said she will be back in 2026, that is far to long, I will see if I can catch her in London, too marvellous for words

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