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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

Tuesday, September 17, 2024

John Hallam with the James Birkett Trio @ Blaydon Jazz Club - Sept. 16

© Roly Veitch
John Hallam (tenor sax, baritone sax, clarinet); James Birkett (guitar); Jeremy McMurray (piano); Andy Champion (double bass)

In its 40th anniversary year, Blaydon Jazz Club extended an invitation to a long-standing friend to join in the celebrations. Travelling from west of the Pennines, John Hallam arrived in good time ready to play some jazz. Similarly, the audience arrived in good time. Clearly, we were thinking as one, ie. get there early to claim a seat! Long before the eight o'clock start most of the seats were occupied.   

Almost exactly 40 years to the day (September 13), John Hallam opened this celebratory concert with Just Friends. How appropriate! A wag whispered to your correspondent: The lad shows promise! An easy-going sort, during the evening Hallam would play no fewer than three reeds - tenor sax, baritone sax and clarinet.   
© Roly Veitch
Over the course of two marvellous sets, Hallam regularly dipped into the Great American Songbook - Duke Ellington, Walter Donaldson, George Gershwin and many others. Oh, Lady be Good! (a clarinet-double bass feature), Dream a Little Dream of Me heard Hallam on baritone sax and again on I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart. 

What is this thing called love? The familiar sound of Cole Porter, this time with Hallam on tenor, One wondered: Which is Hallam's best instrument? The answer: Whichever one he happens to be playing! Of course, it wasn't all about John Hallam. Sharing the stand with our star guest, three stars in their own right - guitarist James Birkett (truly a long-standing friend of Blaydon Jazz Club), pianist Jeremy McMurray and bassist Andy Champion, themselves friends of the longest-running jazz club on Tyneside. 

A full house here at the Black Bull, convivial company, excellent jazz, what more could anyone ask for? The man at the helm all these years - Roly Veitch - couldn't be other than delighted with the night. 

Note - next week's concert (Monday 23 Sept.) featuring Paul Booth with the Paul Edis Trio is SOLD OUT. Please do not arrive at the Black Bull without a ticket (or ticket reservation), there will be no admission without one! Russell           
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