Bebop Spoken There

Melissa Aldana: ''Having to play a ballads album, which is something very revealing for a saxophone player, would help me to question some new aspects of how to go deeper into sound." (DownBeat May, 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

18585 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 449 of them this year alone and, so far this month (May 31) 103

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

June

Wed 03: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 03: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 03: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 04: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 04: Postmodern Jukebox @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm.
Thu 04: Webster’s Ragtime Trio @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 7:30pm. £17.00. Trio from Texas, USA.
Thu 04: King Bees @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Chicago blues excellence!
Thu 04: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Thu 04: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 05: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 05: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 05: FILM: Köln 75 @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. 3:20pm. Dir. Ido Fluk. Drama based on the true story of Keith Jarrett’s 1975 concert in Cologne.
Fri 05: House of the Black Gardenia: Summer Tyne Swing Festival @ Northumbria University Students’ Union, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £130.00; £95.00; £70.00; £50.00. Note: all day dance event (classes & socials). House of the Black Gardenia evening performance. Day 1/3.
Fri 05: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band + IKS Big Band @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £24.00. Big band double bill. IKS Big Band (Germany).
Fri 05: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £15.00

Sat 06: FILM: Köln 75 @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. 2:40pm. Dir. Ido Fluk. Drama based on the true story of Keith Jarrett’s 1975 concert in Cologne.
Sat 06: Struggle Buggy @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 3:00pm. Free. Blues.
Sat 06: Teresa Watson Band @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free. Blues.
Sat 06: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Dry Water Arts, Amble. 7:00pm (6:30pm doors). £15.00.
Sat 06: IKS Big Band: Summer Tyne Swing Festival @ Northumbria University Students’ Union, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £130.00; £95.00; £70.00; £50.00. Note: all day dance event (classes & socials). IKS Big Band evening performance. Day 2/3.
Sat 06: Tyne Valley Big Band @ Northumbrian Revival, West Benridge Farm, nr. Morpeth NE61 3RZ. 7:30-9:30pm. £21.47 (£2.77. child). 82nd D-Day anniversary event.
Sat 06: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 06: FILM: The Magic City: Birmingham According to Sun Ra @ The Burnlaw Centre, Hexham NE47 8HF. A weekend event in association with Star & Shadow Cinema. Film screening at 9:30pm. £28.02. Dir. Guillaume Maupin & Pablo Guarise.

Sun 07: FILM: Köln 75 @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. 11:00am. Dir. Ido Fluk. Drama based on the true story of Keith Jarrett’s 1975 concert in Cologne.
Sun 07: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 07: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Feat. guest Steve Walker (trumpet).
Sun 07: Joe Steels: Celebrating Wes @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Trio: Joe Steels, Mick Shoulder, Abbie Finn.
Sun 07: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Sun 07: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 07: Eddie Gripper Trio @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Gripper (piano); Clem Saynor (double bass); Patrick Barrett-Donlon (drums). Americana album tour.
Sun 07: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 07: Magpies of Swing: Summer Tyne Swing Festival @ Northumbria University Students’ Union, Newcastle. 4:00pm. £130.00; £95.00; £70.00; £50.00. Note: all day dance event (classes & socials). Magpies of Swing afternoon performance. Day 3/3.
Sun 07: FILM: Köln 75 @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. 5:40pm. Dir. Ido Fluk. Drama based on the true story of Keith Jarrett’s 1975 concert in Cologne.
Sun 07: Webster’s Ragtime Trio @ The Ship Inn, Low Newton. 7:00pm. £12.50. Trio from Texas, USA.
Sun 07: Salty Dog @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:00pm. £5.00. Performance in the Studio venue.
Sun 07: Ian Millar & Dominic Spencer @ Riding Mill Village Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Sun 07: Swing Manouche @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Feat. Steve McGarvie (clarinet).

Mon 08: FILM: Köln 75 @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. 11:50am. Dir. Ido Fluk. Drama based on the true story of Keith Jarrett’s 1975 concert in Cologne.
Mon 08: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 08: FILM: Köln 75 @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. 5:15pm. Dir. Ido Fluk. Drama based on the true story of Keith Jarrett’s 1975 concert in Cologne.
Mon 08: Dave Bristow Quintet @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £22.00., £11.00., £5.50. Bristow (piano); Christian Altehülshorst (trumpet); Félix Hardouin (alto sax); Gabriel Pierre (double bass); Guillaume Prévost (drums).

Tue 09: FILM: Köln 75 @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. 3:00pm. Dir. Ido Fluk. Drama based on the true story of Keith Jarrett’s 1975 concert in Cologne.
Tue 09: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 09: FILM: Köln 75 @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. 8:10pm. Dir. Ido Fluk. Drama based on the true story of Keith Jarrett’s 1975 concert in Cologne.

Tuesday, March 04, 2025

Knats' Album Launch @ The Lubber Fiend, Newcastle – Feb. 28

George Johnson (tenor sax); Ferg Kilsby (trumpet, flugel); Tom Ford (guitar); Sandro Shargorodsky (keyboards); Stan Woodward (bass); King David Ike-Elechi (drums) feat. Just-B (vocals); Dylan Orba (trombone)

Knats marked their debut album launch with an epic homecoming at a packed Lubber Fiend and it was only right that they chose Newcastle where it all started back in 2021 at Nunsmoor Park, the Globe and Hoochie Coochie.  The Lubber Fiend is somewhat smaller and - how shall I put it? - rough and ready, compared to their most recent gigs at Sage Two and Mandela Hall (Belfast) but the sound was excellent and it all added to the atmosphere of a rather special night.

© David Hall

The settled Knats line-up of locals Stan, King and Ferg now boasts London colleagues Sandro on keys and 2024 BBC Young Jazz Musician finalist George on tenor (does a Georgian count as an honorary Geordie?). The album featured a number of guests including the remarkable guitarist and producer Tom Ford who was tempted up north for a weekend in the Toon to play alongside the regular quintet here.  

© David Hall
With the luxury of a generous time slot and new material in addition to the album tracks, the band stretched out across a long set with variation in material and styles, plus a few surprises, which kept the attention of even the non-jazz fans in the enthusiastic crowd. And yes, although the trademark “muscular” Geordie jazz is still up front, big dollops of “restraint” were served in answer to BSH comments of old!

The album tracks were given a well-polished and tight airing with solos shared across not just the duelling horn front line, but with breathtaking Holdsworth-esque interjections from Tom Ford, sinuous synth prog-magic from Sandro, and of course the compulsory liquid bass and titanic drum breaks. As professional as the Knats show has become, it’s great to see the fresh pleasure and respect they enjoy in each other’s playing and company.

© David Hall
Variety, light and shade arrived in multiple forms, some unexpected!   Several new songs written by Stan were aired, with intriguing and ambitious new directions in arrangement and style reflecting influences from prog rock and Bartok and even a new song titled Messiaen.  Local rapper Just-B pulled off a brilliantly punchy rant that fitted seamlessly into the Knats groove, followed by a rumbustious trombone solo from Dylan Orba who leapt on the stage fresh from door duties! 

© David Hall

The surprise of the night however was a sung rendition of Farewell Johnny Miner by Stan, Ferg and King, reflecting Stan’s ongoing heritage journey which is evidently moving rapidly from football (new song Wor Jackie) to industrial heritage! I don’t think Bob Fox or the Unthanks need worry yet, but I suspect the crowd’s cheering will encourage further folk forays. What next? – When the Boat Comes In?

© David Hall
The most special and intense moment of the night was also the quietest. The delicate pattering of a traditional family Nigerian rhythm eventually emerged as hush spread through the crowd and swelled into the song Adaeze.  You could hear a pin drop as the sweetest gospel-tinged sax line blossomed into a heart-rending elegy for King’s late sister.  Heaven knows how the band held themselves together for this performance, but by my reckoning this quietest of songs had the loudest applause of the night.  

Quite a night all round. The band will tour the album 22-25 April.  

Album “Knats” available as vinyl LP (standard as well as Dinked Edition transparent yellow limited edition) and CD at Gearbox Records (https://store.gearboxrecords.com/collections/vinyl/products/knats-knats-lp). Available on streaming platforms at end of March. Chris K

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3 comments :

Chris Kilsby said...

The fab gig photos were kindly provided by David Hall (https://www.instagram.com/nostalgia_kid/) who has been capturing the essence of Knats and other local musicians (and Newcastle culture more widely) for many years as part of https://www.instagram.com/thenewcastleproject/
Chris K

Tuesday, March 04, 2025 8:09:00 pm
Sylvia said...

Great review Chris….it was good to see such a variety of ages there to cheer them on…..a broad fan base!!

Wednesday, March 05, 2025 6:30:00 pm
Lance said...

The pics are really fantastic made me think I was actually there.

Wednesday, March 05, 2025 6:43:00 pm

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