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Bebop Spoken There

Sullivan Fortner: ''I always judge it by the bass player: If the bass player is happy, it's going to be a good night". (DownBeat, 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

17777 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 98 of them this year alone and, so far, 23 this month (Feb.8).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Tue 11: Steve Summers Quintet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm.

Wed 12: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Jam session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. 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: Student Performances @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 4:00pm. Free. Inc. Olly Styles (tenor sax).
Thu 13: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: Artist Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Hannabiell & Midnight Blue.
Thu 13: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 14: John Rowland Trio @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 12:30-1:30pm. £5.00. at the door. New second Friday in the month concert series.
Fri 14: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 14: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 14: Archipelago + Anna Tempest @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £8.00.
Fri 14: Paul Jones & Dave Kelly @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. Rhythm & blues.
Fri 14: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Fri 14: Jazz Sabbath @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 15: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 15: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 15: Elkie Brooks @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. ‘The Long Farewell Tour’.
Sat 15: Milne Glendinning Band @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 16: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 16: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: BBC Introducing NE X MOBO Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Jambone, Knats, Rivkala, SwanNek.
Sun 16: The Shayo Experience @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 16: Gerry Richardson Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 16: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 17: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 17: Russ Morgan Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

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

Monday, January 20, 2025

Sunday night @ the Globe: Freight Train Jazz Meets Folk - Jan. 19

© Ken Drew
Christine Tobin (voice); Liam Noble (piano, synth); Paul Clarvis (drums)

An interesting, unusual and not unpleasant gig by a trio that did what it said on the tin as well as injecting a few sub-genres. Tobin has a pleasing voice that is equally suited to the varied material presented be it blues, swing, jazz, contemporary pop or Irish traditional folk - the list is endless.

The strange part of the equation was the seamless joining of the songs, done three at a time with little or no space in between for the applause they deserved.

© Ken Drew
Gimme a Pigfoot (and a bottle of Beer)
segued into Freight Train followed by The Old Church Yard painting a scenario of someone hoboing from a party in Harlem to the sombre memory of a departed soul in Dublin (or thereabouts). Churchyards are popular venues in both blues and folk songs.

Another Bessie Smith item, Young Woman's Blues, opened the next triad that also had What Will we do When we Have no Money? and I'm Gonna Take it With me When I Go (Tom Waits was still hanging out in Newcastle!)

The Isle of Innisfree, Just an Old Man and yet more Tom Waits with Innocent When You Dream.

That closed the first set and every one in the room seemed happy. Apart from Christine's pristine performance, there was some amazing brushwork from Paul Clarvis - he could also out-smile Steve Brown! Liam Noble did some amazing things on piano ranging from stride to complex harmonies verging on the avant garde.

Noble and Clarvis opened the second set with an instrumental take on Whispering that became Groovin' High and had both piano and drums going for the track record!

© Ken Drew
Tobin returned for Carole King's You've Got A Friend followed by a blast on that good old jazz classic There'll be Some Changes Made. Special mention again for Noble and Clarvis who had some tasty exchanges. Paul Simon's I do it for Your Love with that clever rhyming of tears and hemispheres was another vocal highspot.

Mose Allison's Was was sung by Christine before another instrumental - the Beatles' Love me do - had the duo once more in the virtual spotlight. Those pesky Beatles' Blackbird was given the vocal treatment before Cathy Jordan's Incurraghroe took her back to her homeland. A Moondog couplet (Marie Cherie?) and Johnny Cash's The Beast in me took us to the grand finale - an uptempo version of You go to my Head that went to everyone's head as singer scatted, piano and drums pianoed and drummed and the audience applauded albeit no one shouted 'more'. And why should they? Nothing could follow that! Lance 

1 comment :

Anonymous said...

I suspect the Moondog tune is 'Paris'. Liam Noble and Paul Clarvis did this on their first album. It contains the lines -
Paris, Paris
Mais oui, mon petit
Mais oui, mon petit, Paris
Paris, Paris
Mais oui, mon chérie
Mais oui, mon chérie, Paris
When I'm walking down the avenue
I'm as high as Eiffel is to you

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