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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

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.

Sun 16: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 16: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: BBC Introducing NE X MOBO Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Jambone, Knats, Rivkala, SwanNek.
Sun 16: The Shayo Experience @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 16: Gerry Richardson Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 16: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

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 24, 2024

Paul Booth w. the Paul Edis Trio @ the Black Bull, Blaydon - Sept. 23

© Jerry E
Paul Booth (tenor/soprano sax); Paul Edis (piano); Andy Champion (bass); Russ Morgan (drums)

There's still three months to go but if this isn't my 'Gig of the Year' then I'll eat my hat! How could it not be? Four musicians at the top of their game - bring it on!

Nevertheless, great as they all were, one man stood head and shoulders above the rest - Roly Veitch. For 40 years, Roly, no mean musician himself, has brought top quality jazz to the community of Blaydon-on-Tyne. Despite venue changes and the hazards and pitfalls of running anything of a cultural nature he has survived along with an ever changing team of volunteers.

To celebrate those 40 years, Blaydon Jazz Club presented a series of concerts at its current home, the Black Bull, fittingly where it all began on Sept. 13, 1984.

© Various
Last night's quartet had all played at the club over the years, Paul Booth began there when he was (only just) in his teens, but none of the four had worked together as a complete unit. You would never have guessed!  

The room was packed, the gig was sold out. Hell and highwater - and there was plenty of the latter outside - wouldn't keep anyone away from this one!

A mix of Paul Booth originals with a few standards thrown in made for a balanced programme. A stranger passing by may have wondered if this really was the Black Bull in Blaydon or had he somehow found himself outside  of Birdland or the Blue Note in NYC! The music really was that good not least the take on Kenny Barron's New York Attitude.

© Pam
The originals: Haunted Heart, Seattle Fall, Summer of 44 and I Really Don't Like You (A contrafact of Porter's I Love You) not only had Booth flying high, which was understandable as he was the composer, but also saw Edis, Champion and Morgan playing out of their skulls and they were sight-reading!

A blistering The Song is You, a sumptuous Sophisticated Lady, Skylark and the grand finale, Cottontail left us in awe. Blaydon - The Jazz Capital of the World! Lance

PHOTO ALBUM 

4 comments :

Sylvia said...

I was absolutely spellbound…each one of those musicians is world class and together they were mesmerising!…..yes definitely gig of the year!

Roly said...

Thanks for the lovely review Lance. So pleased you could make it to the gig. I'm absolutely delighted with the way it all went, indeed with all three gigs.
Best Wishes. Roly.

Ron said...

Only gig of the year. It was an I was there moment
Wow wow wow

Anonymous said...

if this gig had been in London it would have cost us £20 at least, we got of cheap

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