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

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.

Thu 30: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: International Jazz Day & JANE AGM.
Thu 30: Duke Junction @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00. Nadim Teimoori (tenor sax); Jeff Hewer (guitar); Martin Longhawn (organ); Steve Hanley (drums). An International Jazz Day event & the 12th anniversary of Newcastle Jazz Co-op acquiring the Globe!

Wednesday, December 04, 2024

The Black Swan's Traffic Jam jam session - Dec. 3

Dean Stockdale (piano); Joe Steels (guitar); Paul Grainger (double bass); John Hirst (drums) + Luis Verde (alto sax); Harry Keeble (tenor sax); Kate O'Neill (vocals), David Gray (trombone); Abbie Finn (drums); Shivan Ruddick (trumpet); John Rowland (tenor sax); Paul Gowland (alto sax); Shayo (vocals); Esther Coombes (alto sax, clarinet); Liam Oliver (guitar); Bailey Rudd (drums); Paul Ruddick (alto sax); Ian Drever (vocals); Theo Nolan (vocals) 

A four-vehicle accident necessitating the closure of the Redheugh Bridge and ongoing renovation works on the Tyne Bridge (access currently restricted to one lane in either direction) wreaked havoc either side of the Tyne. The Black Swan jam session didn't escape the chaotic situation: MC Paul Grainger's journey took twice as long as usual and house pianist Dean Stockdale, travelling north from County Durham, found himself in a long tailback of traffic. At one point it looked as though we were in for a John Hirst drum masterclass...

Fortunately, minutes past the seven thirty down beat, Messrs Grainger and Stockdale arrived and in no time the house quartet - yes, quartet, in the event of pianist Stockdale's temporary absence, Joe Steels was on hand to supply all the chords - made up for lost time with a sparkling take on It Could Happen to You. Two or three numbers in, the thought occurred that it would be great if the Black Swan's budget could stretch to accommodating a house quartet. If only!

One or more of the region's big hitters were in the house. Two of them - Luis Verde and Harry Keeble - were the first to be pressed into action. Alto sax and tenor sax respectively, these guys are the business! Yes or No. Wow! Wayne Shorter's composition was given a thorough workout, we were listening to two killing saxophonists in full flight.

Vocalist Kate O'Neill, accompanied by a restrained David Gray (trombone), singing Honeysuckle Rose and The Very Thought of You went down well with the on-side audience. John Rowland (tenor sax) and Paul Gowland (alto sax) chose to play There is No Greater Love, with altoist Gowland taking a look at Darn That Dream. The full house (many new faces) liked what it was hearing. 

The sitters-in came thick and fast: the brilliant Abbie Finn (drums), young trumpeter Shivan Ruddick giving it his best shot on one or two seemingly unfamiliar charts, Esther Coombes alternating between alto sax and clarinet, Liam Oliver sporting his new Telecaster, Bailey Rudd taking a spell behind the traps, Shayo singing Corcovado, Paul Ruddick blowing some excellent alto, it had been a good night here at the Black Swan. The next one (the last one of the year) is set for Tuesday 17 December. 7:30pm start, free admission, don't forget your Santa hat. Russell
at

No comments :

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments ( Atom )

Blog Archive