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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, April 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

17923 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 244 of them this year alone and, so far, 91 this month (March 31).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Thu 03: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Women in Jazz.
Thu 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 03: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. A Tees Hot Club promotion. First Thursday in the month.

Fri 04: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 04: Ruth Lambert Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Fri 04: Tom McGuire & the Brassholes @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00.
Fri 04: Nicolas Meier’s Infinity Group + Spirit of Jeff Beck @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm.

Sat 05: Tenement Jazz Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 05: Sleep Suppressor @ Head of Steam, Newcastle. 5:30-6:00pm.
Sat 05: King Bees @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Raymond MacDonald & Jer Reid @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 6:00-9:30pm. £7.72., £1.00. (minimum donation). MacDonald & Reid + Objections + Yotuns.
Sat 05: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Kamasi Washington @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £33.00.
Sat 05: Vermont Big Band @ The Seahorse, Whitley Bay. 7:30pm. Tickets: £10.00 (from the venue).
Sat 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 06: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 06: Learning & Participation Showcase @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm (1:00pm doors). Free. Featuring participants from Play More Jazz! Play More Folk! Blue Jam Singers & more.
Sun 06: Joe Steels Group @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Ferg Kilsby, Joe Steels, Ben Lawrence, Paul Susans, John Hirst.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Hooch, Quayside, Newcastle. 6:00pm.
Sun 06: Leeway @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 07: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 08: ???

Wed 09: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 09: Tannery jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm.
Wed 09: Anatole Muster Trio @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £17.50., £12.50. concs.
Wed 09: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED?

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

Monday, September 02, 2024

Jim Collins Quartet @ the Moor Club, Heaton Moor, Stockport - Sept. 1

© Jeff Pritchard

Jim Collins (tenor sax); Robin Joiner (keys); John Sandham (bass); Eryl Roberts (drums)

This was my first visit to the new Sunday night jazz venture in Heaton Moor which hopefully will attract the same sort of audience that used to attend the Railway. I did go to the recent four hour, two band, afternoon session which was held outdoors and I had a great time. On that day, which was on the August Bank Holiday Monday, the trains were running and the train I took stopped at Heaton Chapel station which is a short walk to the Moor Club which is in Heaton Moor.

However, yesterday, for reasons unknown, the trains were nearly all cancelled so I had no option but to take a taxi there and back which cost me a lot but I was in bad need of some live jazz therapy so I decided to go. By 8:00pm the music room had started to fill up and Jim Collins went straight into the Stanley Turrentine classic Sugar and I was pleased to see he was playing his vintage Conn 20m tenor sax which he used throughout the gig.

Twelve tunes, six in each set, including numbers by Kurt Weill, Sonny Rollins, Miles Davis, Joe Henderson, Clifford Brown and Hank Mobley.  Robin Joiner did a superb job on keyboards and the rest of the rhythm section sounded great.  Jim did not need a mic and the acoustics of the room proved to be as good as the Railway used to be.

I liked hearing Jim’s version of Willow Weep For Me which ended the first set.  I also liked what he did with Airegin, you need flexible fingers to play that tune! Looking at the flyer for September it’s tenor players for the rest of the month but please note that there is no jazz on Sept 15 and also the Liam Byrne Quartet gig is now starting at 3:00pm instead of 8:00pm.

Next Sunday, Sept 8, it’s the Mike Hall Quartet featuring Richard Wetherall keys, Ed Harrison bass and Dave Walsh drums. Mike Farmer

Sugar; This I Dig of You; Some Time Ago; Darn That Dream; Airegin; Willow Weep For Me; Sandu; Ladybird; My Ship; Four; Recorda Me; St Thomas.

1 comment :

Nina said...

We were there too and it was fab
Sad not to have Ray and the Railway but a good proportion of the old audience is finding its way to the Moor Club and the vibe is good! Nina

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