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HOWAY THE LADS!

Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: '' A Love Supreme coincided with my search for meaning in life". (DownBeat, March 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

17873 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 194 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (March 14).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Sun 16: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 16: Pearl Blossoms @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Ragtime.
Sun 16: Hot 8 Brass Band @ Wylam Brewery. 7:30pm. ‘Big Tuba Tour’.
Sun 16: ARQ @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 16: Air4ce @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 8:30pm (8:00pm doors). £12.00.; £10.00. Tom Atkinson’s all-star band (line-up inc. Lindsay Hannon & Sue Ferris).
Sun 16: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 17: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 17: Jamie Toms Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Laurence Harrison, Paul Grainger, Tim Johnston.
Tue 18: Phil Bancroft’s Beautiful Storm @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £13.20 & £11.00.. A JNE-Gem Arts co-promotion.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Nicknames.
Thu 20: Terri Green Experience @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £15.90.
Thu 20: Lindsay Hannon Trio @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Hannon’s ‘Tom Waits for No Man’ set.
Thu 20: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:30pm. Free.

Fri 21: Paul Skerritt @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 21: Giles Strong Quartet @ 1719, Hendon, Sunderland. 7:30pm. CANCELLED!
Fri 21: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Featuring special guest Martin Litton (piano).

Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30pm-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 22: Swamp Stomp String Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Sat 22: Rivkala @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sun 23: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 23: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Mississippi MacDonald @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. Blues.
Sun 23: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: The Great Deceivers @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Tom Atkinson & co play King Crimson (1969-1974). Atkinson (guitar); Josh Bentham (alto sax); Stu Dawson (bass); Jeff Armstrong (drums).

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

Wednesday, September 18, 2024

NYC jazz notes (16)

The Empire State, Times Square, Macy's, all the touristy things. It was another scorcher, 30° plus. Craning necks, looking up and up and up, the Manhattan skyline is something else! Excuse me, could you tell me the way to the Empire State Building? Our New Yorker replied: You got it! This is it, right here. We were standing outside the main entrance! Crossing over the road to get a better view, the iconic Empire State is but one of countless skyscrapers reaching for the stars. 

Macy's. Think Fenwick's x 10, make that x 100. The department store is big, that's for sure. If you like shopping, this is the place for you! If you don't, perhaps other things will catch the eye, for instance, one of several wooden escalators (see photo)! Times Square makes Piccadilly Circus look like a quiet backwater. Loud, neon signs every which way, New Yorkers scurrying here and there, tourists (with cameras), gazing this way and that, trying to take it all in. Beldam, 24/7!

It was time to take the subway out to Mets-Willets Point. In much the same location as the Louis Armstrong House in Corona, our evening's entertainment would depart from the week's jazz gig schedule. 

Alighting the subway, to our left stood Citi Field stadium, home to the New York Mets (National League, that's Major League Baseball). New York's other Major League Baseball outfit is the Yankees (American League). Perhaps there is a rivalry similar to Newcastle United and Sunderland (that's 'soccer' to you). We were heading right, along with tens of thousands of others. Up ahead, there it was, the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, home to the US Open Tennis Championships. 

Tickets booked before we set off on our week-long adventure, an evening session under lights held great appeal. There is nothing better than a midweek (soccer) match under floodlights at St James' Park (Newcastle United). The thinking was it would be the same here in Corona.

The National Tennis Center complex stretches as far as the eye can see. Much like Wimbledon, numerous courts stand in the shadow of the show courts. The Louis Armstrong Stadium, with a capacity of 14,000, is the second show court (see photo), adjacent to the Arthur Ashe Stadium, the largest tennis stadium in the world (a capacity not far short of 24,000). Those who know St James', the Arthur Ashe Stadium is of similar size, in other words, it's vast. The Armstrong connection? The world famous trumpeter lived - and died - in nearby Corona. 

Entering the stadium was a 'wow!' moment. 
Seats up in the bleachers (court-side seats cost squillions), this was razzamatazz tennis, big style. Noise, constantly-changing advertising boards, noise, noise, noise. Hey buddy, I'm going for another burger. This was mid-rally. Hey, man, get me a beer while you're there...and some fries The rally continued. Sure thing, buddy! Such was the noise it was impossible to hear racket on ball. Wimbledon this ain't! Arthur Ashe being the main show court, 'big names' were guaranteed. 

First up, Carlos Alcaraz! The Wimbledon men's singles champion was drawn against Australia's Li Tu. In a relatively straightforward encounter, an unconvincing Alcaraz ran out the winner 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1. As dusk descended over Flushing Meadows an all-American match-up featured Jessica Pegula and Shelby Rogers. Home favourite Pegula (born in Buffalo, New York) came through a tough match 6-4, 6-3. Close on midnight, it was time to head back to Manhattan. 

The next day we would fly out of JFK, but not before taking in a much-anticipated lunchtime concert up on Lexington Avenue. Russell          

1 comment :

Jen said...

Thank you for your 'jazz notes'. It's incredible how much you have packed into your week in New York - I thought you had been there for at least a fortnight!
I have thoroughly enjoyed reading your accounts - it brought back great memories of my time living in New York in the mid 70's when I worked at United Nations.
As I said to Lance most of my stories are kept close to my chest!!
Jen

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