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Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: '' A Love Supreme coincided with my search for meaning in life". (DownBeat, March 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

17838 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 159of them this year alone and, so far, 6 this month (March 3).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Sun 09: The New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 09: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Wokitoki @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Tom Atkinson (drums, guitar); Sue Ferris (sax, flute); Jude Murphy (bass guitar, flute). Jazz standards, bebop, free jazz, Latin & more. Upstairs.
Sun 09: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Downstairs.
Sun 09: Zhenya Strigalev’s 2025 Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 10: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club.

Tues 11: Solea @ Earthlings, the Healing Café, 94 Buckingham St., Newcastle, NE4 5QR. 7:00-8:45pm. Food available if ordered before 6:30pm. New band: Johannes Dalhuijsen (tenor sax, bass clarinet); Richard Herdman (guitar); Nick Bagnall (bass guitar); John Hirst (drums).
Tue 11: Giles Strong Quartet @ 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: The Exu + Matt Cliffe @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 13: Oh La La! @ Allendale Village Hall, Northumberland. 7:30pm. £12.00.; £6.00. child. Fifi La Mer (accordion, vocals), Oliver Wilby (reeds).
Thu 13: Fiona Finden’s Jazz Express @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 14: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 14: Paul Taylor @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00-2:00pm. £5.00. at the door. Second Friday in the month lunchtime 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: Brass Funkeys + Dilutey Juice @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £8.00.
Fri 14: Oh La La! @ Edmundbyers Village Hall, Co. Durham. 7:30pm. £12.00.; £10.00. (additional £5.00. supper option, ordered in advance). Fifi La Mer (accordion, vocals), Oliver Wilby (reeds).
Fri 14: The Collective @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £8.50.
Fri 14: Bridget Metcalfe Quintet @ St George’s Venue, Park Road, Hartlepool. 7:30pm.

Sat 15: Hot Teapots @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm.
Sat 15: Creakin’ Bones @ Billy Bootleggers. Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free.
Sat 15: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 15: Is This Jazz? @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Tickets: www.eventbrite.co.uk. Performances by Mu Quintet, Jinjé, A Brief Utopia, John Pope & Co + André Marmot (author of Unapologetic Expression: The Inside Story of the UK Jazz Explosion) in conversation + DJ sets ‘til 3:00am. ‘A Festival of New Jazz’.
Sat 15: Vintage Explosion @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Sat 15: Alligator Gumbo @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm. £15.00.
Sat 15: One Night Standards @ The White Room, Stanley. 8:00pm. £8.67 (inc. bf). Note - previously advertised Salty Dogs cancelled.
Sat 15: Howlin’ Mat @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Blues guitar.

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

Wednesday, March 05, 2025

Jamming at the Black Swan - March 5

Stuart Collingwood (piano, vocals); Paul Grainger (double bass); Abbie Finn (drums) + Ian Drever (vocals); Edgar Bell (pocket trumpet); Harry Keeble (tenor sax); Luis Verde (alto sax); Leah Kirk (vocals); John Rowland (tenor sax); Bailey Rudd (drums); Lara Hopper (trumpet); Sam Toulson  (alto sax); Julija Jacenaite (vocals); Robert Johnson (alto sax); Kate O'Niell (vocals); Bailey Rudd (drums); Kate O'Neill (vocals); ? (piano); Olly Styles (tenor sax); Liam Oliver (guitar); Jay Straughan (drums); Joe (drums); Shayo (vocals); Jessica ? (piano); Becky Tuck (vocals); Remi Coulthard Boardman (vocals); David Gray (trombone); Esther Coombes (alto sax, clarinet); Ryan ? (alto sax); Owen Jones (double bass); Theo Nolan (drums)  


Don't get around much anymore sang Stu Collingwood. The Black Swan jam session was underway. As crooner Ian Drever got the nod, bassist Paul Grainger and drummer Abbie Finn went to the bar, leaving maestro Collingwood to guide Drever through Manhattan (Edgar Bell determined to get his two penn'orth in from the sidelines). 

Harry Keeble (tenor sax) and Luis Verde (alto sax) swanned up, casual as you like, Harry calling Invitation. We knew it would be incendiary but we didn't anticipate an explosive incident. The horns blazing, the rhythm section cooking, then...BANG! The bridge on MC Grainger's bass broke free, catapulting across the floor. PG made running repairs (literally running) in the wings. Maestro Collingwood's left hand worked overtime until PG returned to the stage. Thirty seconds later...BANG! This called for drastic action. PG grabbed his coat, car keys and disappeared up the stairs. 

All the while, 'Left Hand' Collingwood held it together with consummate ease as Harry and Luis continued their masterclass, from memory, Wayne Shorter's Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum. Mid-tune a roar erupted across the Black Swan as MC Grainger reappeared with a spare double bass! The show must go on and it did with the new rising star of the Black Swan jam session, Leah Kirk, singing Nature Boy (John Rowland blowing discreet tenor). Leah hung around for another one - There'll Never Be Another You. Great stuff!

Talking of rising/risen stars...trumpeter Lara Hopper and alto sax wizard Sam Toulson worked out on Softly As in a Morning Sunrise, drummer Bailey Rudd excellent in support. Long-time-no-see Julija Jacenaite got up to sing a couple, including Mood Indigo, accompanied by the increasingly impressive Robert Johnson (alto sax). RJ himself hit a groove on Strasbourg/St Denis. Excellent! 

They were massing, looking to have a blow. Kate O'Neill sang Bye Bye Blackbird, Olly Styles on tenor. The big hand was approaching ten, Liam (guitar), Joe (drums), Jessica (piano), Becky and Remy (vocals), Ryan (alto), David Gray (trombone), Esther (alto sax, clarinet), Owen Jones (bass), Theo (drums), there may have been others...Just another night at the Black Swan jam session. The next one (Tuesday 18 March) could be every bit as good as this evening, it could be better, who knows? Be sure to arrive early, down beat at half past seven.  Russell                           
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