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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

17805 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 126 of them this year alone and, so far, 51 this month (Feb.16).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Fri 21: JazzMain @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 21: Joe Steels Trio @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £10.00. TBC.
Fri 21: Mark Toomey Quintet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £10.00. An Opus 4 Jazz Club event. Note revised date - Fri. 21 not Fri 28. Also, quintet, not quartet.
Fri 21: Emma Rawicz w. Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30pm-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 22: Mississippi MacDonald @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm. Blues.
Sat 22: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Old Cinema Laundrette, Durham. 7:45pm. £16.50. SOLD OUT!
Sat 22: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sun 23: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 23: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Mark Williams Trio @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 23: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 23: Mississippi MacDonald @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. Blues.
Sun 23: Mu Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 23: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 24: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 24: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 25: ?

Wed 26: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 26: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 26: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 27: Jamie McCredie @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

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, February 18, 2025

Russ Morgan Quartet @ Blaydon Jazz Club - Feb. 17

© Roly Veitch
Russ Morgan (drums); Harry Keeble (tenor sax); Mark Williams (guitar); Andy Champion (double bass) + Zoë Gilby (vocals)

A rare February gig at Blaydon Jazz Club and a rare band for the occasion, the Russ Morgan Quartet, no less. The Black Bull's regulars turned out and they weren't to be disappointed. And what they didn't know, there was to be a guest appearance by the award-winning Zoë Gilby. At a little after eight o'clock, Russ, Harry Keeble, Mark Williams and bassist Andy Champion took to the floor. 

Across the course of two sets, drummer Russ spiced things up with a varied selection, including a couple of John Scofield numbers (step forward Mark Williams!), something by Julian Nicholas and Kenny Garrett, a Rodgers and Hart standard and Sammy Gallop and Phil De Rose's Autumn Serenade, the latter two featuring Ms Gilby. 

© Russell
Scofield's Don't Shoot the Messenger, Garrett's Wayne's Thang, the quartet dialled-in, the collective virtuosity something to behold. Zoë Gilby joined the boys, first set singing Autumn Serenade, second set, It Never Entered My Mind, measured excellence. 

Andy Champion brought in A Thousand Ships, Russ Morgan, first brushes, then sticks, then hands, masterful. Stranger to the Light vied for tune of the night - Scofield's composition the ideal vehicle for the virtuosi. Guitarist Williams conjured yet another beautifully crafted solo, Morgan working overtime on the ride, Keeble laying down a(nother) killer solo. 

Bandleader Morgan likes a New Orleans shuffle and not for the first time this evening, we got it, this time on Marc Johnson's Union Pacific. The Russ Morgan Quartet is some band, that's for sure. Modern jazz? Contemporary jazz? Call it what you will, the next time Russ and the boys are out and about, go hear them. Russell     
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