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Bebop Spoken There

Steve Coleman: ''If you don't keep learning, your mind slows down. Use it or lose it''. (DownBeat, January 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

17733 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 53 of them this year alone and, so far, 53 this month (Jan. 20).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Wed 22: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 22: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 22: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 22: Pasadena Roof Orchestra @ Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm.

Thu 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free. Fortnightly.
Thu 23: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Obituaries 2024.
Thu 23: Jason Isaacs @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:30-6:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Thu 23: Pedal Point Trio @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 24: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Creakin’ Bones & the Sunday Dinners @ Lindisfarne Social Club, Wallsend. 9:00pm. Admission: TBC. Jazz, blues , jump jive, rock ‘n’ roll.

Sat 25: Boys of Brass @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:30-5:30pm. Free.
Sat 25: New '58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson's Wharf, Hartlepool. 6:30pm (doors). Free. A Burns' Night event. Jazz, swing, funk, soul, blues etc.
Sat 25: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 25: Red Kites Jazz @ Parish Hall, St Barnabas’ Church, Rowlands Gill. 7:30pm. £10.00. BYOB (tea & coffee available), raffle. Proceeds to St Barnabas’ Church. Performance feat. Shayo (vocals).
Sat 25: Jack & Jay’s Songbook @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Graham Hardy Eclectic Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 26: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 26: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:30pm. Free.
Sun 26: Gratkowski, Tramontana, Beresford, Affifi @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.
Sun 26: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 27: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 28: ???

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Thu 30: Matters Unknown (aka Jonathan Enser, Nubiyan Twist) + support TBA @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £12.22 (gig & food); £9:04 (gig only).
Thu 30: Soznak @ The Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 30: Struggle Buggy @ Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Rhythm & blues.

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 04, 2024

The summer into autumn Black Swan jam session - Sept. 3

© Patti
Dean Stockdale (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums) + Luis Verde (alto sax); Lara Hopper (trumpet); Shivan Ruddick (trumpet); Liam Oliver (guitar); Owen Jones (double bass); Joe ? (drums); Vlada ? (alto sax); Kate O'Niell (vocals); Oscar Nolan (vocals, piano); Theo Nolan (vocals); Robert Johnson (tenor sax); Paul Ruddick (alto sax); Jack Littlewood (drums); Edgar Bell (trumpet); Alec Gamble (guitar); Kath Butcher (vocals); Remi Coulthard Boardman (vocals); Becky Tuck (vocals); Neil Hopper (valve trombone)

It's another couple of weeks or so until the students return enmasse. In the meantime, there was no shortage of the willing (largely non-undergraduate participants, at least two of them not yet out of school) eager to show what they could do. Supported by an ace house trio and a Black Swan jam session audience of supportive regulars (all occupying their usual seats) the evening got underway with Frank Loesser's I've Never Been in Love Before

From here on in, there was a non-stop stream of the willing. There's the willing, the willing and able and, quite simply, the brilliant. Alto saxophonist Luis Verde is in the latter category and his take on In a Sentimental Mood silenced the room. Bar staff at the far end of the room joined in the applause, that's how good Señor Verde was and is. Trumpeters Lara Hopper and Shivan Ruddick, with a combined age of around thirty (!), once again demonstrated they are the coming generation. Alto saxophonist Vlada (a 'twenteen') impressed once again. It looks as though we have a new jam session 'regular' in our midst. Be sure to check out Vlada.

The Nolans - Oscar and Theo - sang Stevie Wonder, Oscar later playing piano (house pianist Dean Stockdale making a beeline for the bar), the Tyne Valley's tenor saxophonist Robert Johnson returned to the Black Swan to play Dat Dere, later joined by the Ruddicks (Shivan and father Paul, alto sax) to blow on Moanin' . Newcastle University music student Jack Littlewood made his jam session debut - excellent! We'll be seeing and hearing more from Jack, that's for sure. 

Luis the Great returned to the stage, blowing alongside fellow alto saxophonist, Paul Ruddick. Drummer Jack hung around, trumpeter Edgar Bell couldn't resist, Luis leading the way on How Deep is the Ocean? As is their wont, Becky and Remi (that's Ms Tuck and Mr Coulthard Boardman) came late to the party to sing Have You Met Miss Jones?. Tyneside's swing dancers were massing (to play not dance) for the grand finale, including Messrs. Alec Gamble and Owen Jones, and, playing valve trombone, the House of the Black Gardenia's Neil Hopper. It had been another good session, more in a fortnight (Tuesday 17), 7:30pm sharp. Russell   

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