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Bebop Spoken There

Xhosa Cole: ''Monk was unapologetically himself". (Jazzwise, 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

17755 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 76 of them this year alone and, so far, 1 this month (Feb.1).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Sun 02: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 02: Lewis Watson Quartet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 02: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free (donations).
Sun 02: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 02: Spilt Milk @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 5:15-7:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 02: Jive Aces @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:00pm. Sun 02: John Pope + Andy Champion + Ian Paterson @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. ‘Subterranean Explorations 1’. Three (half hour) solo bass sets.
Sun 02: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 03: Andy Watt & Dan Rogers @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance. Jazz, blues, folk etc.
Mon 03: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 04: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, North St., Ferryhill DL17 8HX. 7:00pm. Free.
Tue 04: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Ben Phillips, Paul Grainger, Bailey Rudd.
Tue 04: Dilutey Juice + Life Aquatics Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Wed 05: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 05: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 05: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 06: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 06: Lewis Watson Quartet @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 06: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Latin jazz/top-rated dance bands.
Thu 06: Rose Room @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Thu 06: Mostly Moonlight @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Helen Barber (vocals) & Alex Moon (piano).
Thu 06: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. Guests: Richie Emmerson (tenor sax); Donna Hewitt (alto sax); Kevin Eland (trumpet); Graham Thompson (keys); Ron Smith (bass). 8:30pm. Free. A Tees Hot Club promotion. The session is now monthly, first Thursday in the month.

Fri 07: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 07: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 07: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ Old Lowlight, Clifford’s Fort, North Shields NE30 1JE. 7:00pm. £15.00. + bf. www.oldlowlight.co.uk. SOLD OUT!
Fri 07: Stuart Turner Trio @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Jazz, blues, Americana etc.
Fri 07: Dean Stockdale Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Fri 07: Rose Room @ Wylam Institute. 8:00pm. £19.67.
Fri 07: John Rowland Quartet @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

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, November 05, 2024

Afternoon Jazz @ Saisons, Burton Road Didsbury: Richard Iles Trio - Nov. 3

© Phil Portus
Richard Iles (flugel); Richard Jones (piano); Joshua Cavanagh-Brierley (bass).

After such a great gig by Greg Abate and his amazing musicians at Cheltenham's  Victory Club on Friday, I was not expecting much from this, my first visit to the Saisons, but I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the music. 


The venue is small and has seating outside which was already occupied when I  arrived by taxi just in time for the 3pm start. There are no buses running at all in Handforth on Sundays and you are lucky if any of the trains are not cancelled. 


Saisons is in West Didsbury and is very close to where the Midland Hotel was once situated and was the scene of many legendary jazz encounters. I think the pub is still there but has a new name. The famous Alan Hare Big Band used to play every week and that band was known world wide. Yep, Didsbury was buzzing back then!           

Sometimes they have duos here on Sundays but on this occasion three musicians were squeezed into the playing space. I last saw Richard Jones at the Royal Oak. Mellor, at a jam session which he tells me recently ceased. He brought his own piano to the gig, how often do you see that? He explained it is called a Keybird, made in Copenhagen and I think it was Richard Wetherall who told me there were only two that he knew of in the UK. Richard W is booked to play here next Sunday Nov. 10 and later at the Moor Club, Heaton Moor. Stockport.


The bassman, Josh C-B, I knew from his work with Johnny Hunter and his fine CD which had Chris Potter in the line-up which I reviewed some time ago for BSH.    


I had a short chat with Richard Iles at the end of the gig and I must say I was pleased he played flugelhorn exclusively as I've loved the instrument ever since I heard Clark Terry on the LP Blues In Orbit. After watching the Keybird piano being dismantled I had another Kronenbourg at £5-90 a pint then hopped into a taxi en route to the Moor Club to catch Ed Kainyek. I’ll do a review of the Moor Club tomorrow. Mike Farmer


VIDEO LINK (see comments).


It Could Happen To You; Quiet Nights; My Funny Valentine; I Love You; Good Morning Heartache; You Don’t Know What Love Is; The Secret Bossa Nova*; Blues For Duane; Body and Soul.  *Original by Richard Iles

2 comments :

Mike Farmer said...

I forgot to mention that there is no admission charge .

headphon1 said...

Hi Mike, thanks for coming to the gig. There's a video here of one of the tunes. Hope you enjoy it. Richard. https://youtu.be/oMPqXKRsT8g?si=TESnEx_aIWw9oCoM

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