Bebop Spoken There

Gary Bartz: ''Charlie Parker was my introduction to the religion of music. And so he's always with me .'' - Downbeat November 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

17927 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 891 of them this year alone and, so far, 104 this month (Oct. 31).

From This Moment On ...

November

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: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 07: Hejira @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. Celebrating Joni Mitchell.

Sat 08: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 08: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm.

Sun 09: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Salty Dog @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:30pm (doors). Jazz, blues, Americana.
Sun 09: Graham Hardy’s Eclectic Quartet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 09: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Sun 09: David Gray’s Flextet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 10: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club (1:00pm). Free.

Tue 11: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 11: Laura Jurd @ The Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 8:00pm. JNE.

Wed 12: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Tannery Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. 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: Thu 04: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Seasonal/Festive Music & Songs - autumn into winter.
Thu 13: Awen Ensemble @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £5.00. Jazz-folk.
Thu 13: SwanNek + Ellen Beth Adbi + Phantom Bagman @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. A BBC Introducing event.

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

Friday, November 22, 2024

Greg Abate Quartet @ the 28 Club, Belper - Nov. 17

© Ken Drew
Greg Abate (alto sax);  Neil Hunter (keys); Paul Grey (bass); Ian Beestin (drums).

(Photo was taken last year by Ken Drew at the Globe, Newcastle. Greg appears at The Globe this coming Sunday Nov. 24 with the Dean Stockdale Trio).

Once again Greg was backed by the same superb trio of musicians known as the Belper Jazz Company who did such a great job during  his last visit on July 28. They  have even produced their own beer mat and Greg was presented with a framed collage of four mats at the end of the gig by drummer Ian Beestin who resides in Belper.


The bass player is from Nottingham, the keyboards man hales from Leicester and as a top class rhythm section they often work together.

Greg started the show with Charlie Parker's Yardbird Suite, a bop favourite of mine followed by another tune that Greg likes to play Lee Morgan’s Ceora. Six tunes were played in the first set and six in the second one. The energy level was high throughout and the audience were getting quite excited especially during Greg’s original number On the Road. This had everyone cooking up a storm and I would pick it as a highspot of the night except I find all Greg’s gigs are full of great creative moments. 


A tune that gets played many times is Body and Soul and Greg seemed to vary the volume by moving his horn in different directions.  The second set contained four more of Greg’s own tunes, a Joe Henderson one, one of Parker's and the climatic Greg tune to finish on was D S R which was an ascending theme ending in a piercing highnote gaining tumultuous applause. Mike Farmer


Yardbird Suite; Ceora; Confirmation; On the Road; Body and Soul; Bebop; Contemplation; J.A.G  Positive Energy; Recorda me; Steeplchase; D.S.R

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