Total Pageviews

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 13, 2025

Sunday night @ The Globe, Newcastle: Jack Pearce Quintet - Jan. 12

© Sheila Herrick
Jack Pearce (alto sax); Sam Hughes (guitar); Jascha Bingham (piano); Dan Sanderson (bass); Angus Haygarth (drums)

I wasn't sure what to expect. Five, unknown to me, young musicians on the first date of their first tour playing before  a relatively sparse  audience. However, they were alumni of the prestigious Leeds Conservatoire and I don't recall any duds emerging from there.

The jury was still out after the first number, Pearce's Icarus. An ephemeral composition that suggested they were still finding their way and not flying too close  to the sun. Another original, inspired by a town in Italy that Pearce had visited, saw them moving up a gear and, with Sam Rivers' Beatrice, it all began to fall into place. Their technical ability beyond question.

© Sheila Herrick
Norwegian Wood is always a bit of a paradox. Without the words it's not much of a tune but, as the words like so many Beatles' lyrics are nonsensical, it's a question of you pays ya money and ya makes ya choice. Wisely, apart from Sanderson's intro and outro they got stuck into it with all five musicians' solos gaining well-deserved acknowledgment from the audience who were rapidly warming to what the band were doing.

Come the interval, after Fellowship and Church Lane had raised the temperature, I felt that any inhibitions they may have had had been released.

And so it proved in the second set. My Favorite Things could have been like Julie Andrews and John Coltrane on a date except that Julie didn't turn up. Instead we had a wild solo from Pearce, an even wilder one from Hughes with Bingham somewhere in between.

© Russell
Christian McBride's Fried Pies was a swingin' hard bop blast in fact it was one of the swingingest, hardboppiest live number I've heard in many a long day's listening. Amazing drum solo and blasts from guitar and alto had the room on a musical high.

Jerry Bergonzi's Wiggy was another easy swinger and, once again guitar, alto and bass having their say. Another fine original then a Scarborough Fair to end all Scarborough Fairs. Except it wasn't the end. We weren't going to let them off that lightly!

Kenny Garrett's Jackie and the Beanstalk ran the clock down and I left feeling I'd been in on the  ground floor - not just of the Globe - of  a band about to make its mark on UK jazz and, if you weren't there then tough. In years to come you'll pretend you were! Lance

1 comment :

Anonymous said...

A first all round for me..for Globe & band. I was mightily impressed. The Quintet did themselves proud. They were very professional. They had a nice mix of original and tried and tested. It became very apparent that these five guys are dedicated to their art form and will go far. It was a disappointing attendance. Regulars at the Globe you have missed great Jazz Quintet.👏💥

Blog Archive