Bebop Spoken There

David Bailey (photographer): ''When I was 16 I wanted to look like Chet Baker. He was my idol - him and James Dean.'' (Talking Pictures documentary : Four beats to the bar and no cheating April, 2026)

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

18445 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 309 of them this year alone and, so far this month (April 20 ) 43,

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

From This Moment On

April

Thu 23: FILM: Big Mama Thornton: I Can’t Be Anyone But Me @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. 6:15pm. Dir. Robert Clem (2025).
Thu 23: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 23: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 23: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra & Musicians Unlimited @ ARC, Stockton. 8:00pm. £19.00. inc. bf.

Fri 24: Noel Dennis Trio @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. Dennis, Mark Willams, Andy Champion. 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: Trio Grand @ Land of Oak & Iron, Winlaton. 6:00-9:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: Ben Vince + The Exu @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £14.33., £11.16, £8.00. A ‘jazz adjacent’ gig!
Fri 24: Daniel John Martin w. Swing Manouche @ The Ship Isis, Sunderland. 7:30pm. £13.20 (inc. bf).
Sat 25: Giles Strong Quartet @ Hindmarsh Hall, Alnmouth. 7:30pm. CANCELLED!
Sat 25: Daniel John Martin w. Swing Manouche @ The Old Cinema Launderette, Durham. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £13.20 (inc. bf).
Sat 25: ‘Portrait in Evans’: Noa Levy & Alan Barnes w. Paul Edis Trio @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £24.00. Sage Two. ‘Portrait in Evans’. Levy, Barnes, Edis, Andy Champion & Steve Hanley.

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 26: Daniel John Martin w. Swing Manouche @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 26: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Ni Maxine + Nauta @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £17.51., £14.33., £11.16.
Sun 26: Joe Steels @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. Free (donations direct to the musicians). Joe Steels & Friends.
Sun 26: C.A.L.I.E @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £16.00., £14.00., £7.00.

Mon 27: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 27: House of Blues @ the Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £7.00., £5.00. advance. A student-led jazz session. ‘House of Blues’ is, perhaps, a misnomer.
Mon 27: Littlewood Trio @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £10.00 + bf, £7.00. + bf.

Tue 28: Long/Remon/Zilker @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Tom Remon plays Irish folk!

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 29: Long/Remon/Zilker @ The Ship Isis, Sunderland. 7:00pm. £10.00. + £1.00. bf. Tom Remon plays Irish folk!
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 29: Hackney Colliery Band @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. £25.00.

Monday, October 07, 2024

Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music 2024 @ the Globe. Emma Johnson's Gravy Boat, Catriona Bourne Quartet, Heather Ferrier - Oct. 6

© Ken Drew
Emma Johnson (tenor sax); Fergus Vickers (guitar); Richard Johnson (piano); Angus Milne (bass); Steve Hanley (drums).
The Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music 2024 went out on a high. In fact if it had drawn to a conclusion any higher then we'd have been sitting on the roof!

This was the third appearance by Emma Johnson's Gravy Boat at the Globe and, as at their previous gigs at the venue, they blew up a storm. The band, like all great bands, captures the mood of each of the compositions - all originals by Emma. 

© Ken Drew
The opening Force of Light began in a drifting, meandering sort of way that gradually developed into a maelstrom of sound with Hanley reminding us - as if we needed reminding - just what a force he is before sanity returned and the force, like the soon to be setting sun, faded.

Home lived up to the title. A soft, mellow, fireside mood with tenor and guitar playing some delightful exchanges. Not the meaningless fours that so many bands use as a cop-out but a genuine moment of creation by two like minds.

Setting Sail was wild. If I'd set sail on this ship my 'sea legs' would have gone before we'd even left the harbour. Needless to say Steve Hanley was the one creating the gale force ten. He solos when he isn't soloing driving his fellow travellers to previously uncharted territory. And when he does solo ...

I didn't catch the title of the next number (from her first album Worry Not) but it offered rather more sedate moments with Jones soloing and Milne solid in support.

Embers, a slow, almost sanctified piece, didn't stray too far away and featured Emma's sumptuous sound.

The two final numbers, Pelican and No Other Flame, saw the excrement hit the fan as everyone dug in and may the devil take the hindmost.

Simply amazing! I left as I'd came in - on a high.

© Ken Drew
Catriona Bourne (harp): Francis Tulip (guitar); Andy Champion (bass); Joe Bainbridge (drums)

Having reviewed the Catriona Bourne Quartet's, soon to be released debut album Triquetra (HERE) I knew what to expect to the extent that I was on a high before they  started. 

However, there were questions that needed answering: 

a) Would the unusual line-up be as effective live as it was on record? 
b) Would the dep bass player fit in okay?

© Ken Drew
The answers were very much in the affirmative. Harp and guitar gelled perfectly in fact the sound was great and I guess the only thing preventing more bands to have harp/guitar front lines is the cost - harps aren't gifted from Heaven. 

Re my second question I answered it by saying to myself "Oh ye of little faith". Andy was superb, as he always is, fitting in like one of the family.

When it comes to guitarists Francis Tulip gets better and better with each hearing. How much further can he go? Watch this space.

The five numbers all came from Triquetra: Triquetra; Coronach; Sligachan Bridge; Rowan; Lannigan.

© Ken Drew
Heather Ferrier (accordion)
In between the two bands there was a solo set by accordionist Heather Ferrier. It was an interesting session as you don't get many accordions at jazz gigs these days.

Whether Ferrier can be classified as a pure jazz musician is debatable and I doubt if she would want to be. However, as this particular festival is a broad church I think her inclusion can be justified by her amazing technique on both keys and buttons - quite awesome. Lance
at

No comments :

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments ( Atom )

Blog Archive