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Bebop Spoken There

Trevor Mires: ''My mum is a Dean Martin fan: I'm not, so I would grab my skateboard and get out of the house whenever I heard "Everybody Loves Somebody, Sometime." ". (Jazzwise, April 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

17972 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 293 of them this year alone and, so far, 49 this month (April 22).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Fri 25: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT! Duo performance.
Fri 25: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 25: Andrea Vicari Trio @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. Vicari (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); Russ Morgan (drums).
Fri 25: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 25: Red Kites Jazz @ Land of Oak & Iron, Winlaton Mill. 6:00-9:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Fri 25: Struggle Buggy @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. Rhythm & blues.
Fri 25: Paul Skerritt Big Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £20.30., £18.00. All-star big band.
Fri 25: Andrea Vicari Trio @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Vicari (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); Russ Morgan (drums). An Opus 4 Jazz Club event.

Sat 26: Durham Alumni Big Band @ Number One Bar, Darlington. 12 noon. Free (donations).
Sat 26: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 26: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ Elvet Methodist Church, Durham. 7:30pm. Tickets: £12.00. + bf. Duo performance.
Sat 26: Neil Cowley Trio @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £22.50.
Sat 26: Pete Tanton & the Cuban Heels @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 27: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 27: Andrea Vicari Trio @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. Vicari (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Sun 27: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 27: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Xenopoulos, Edis, Paul Susans, Russ Morgan.
Sun 27: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 27: JustKing Jones @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £17.50. JustKing Jones (alto sax, soprano sax); Jordan Williams (piano); Jason Clotter (bass); Malcolm Charles (drums). Ace NYC outfit!
Sun 27: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 27: Swing Manouche @ Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7:30pm. £15.00. Tickets from 01665 711388.
Sun 27: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Xenopoulos, Edis, Ken Marley, Russ Morgan.

Mon 28: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 29: ???

Wed 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 30: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 30: International Jazz Day @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £16.00.; £14.00. adv.. Feat. Guido Spannocchi, John Pope & Steve Hanley + Take it to the Bridge participants + Open Mic Night participants.

MAY 2025

Thu 01: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Member’s Contribution.
Thu 01: Alabaster de Plume @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Thu 01: Living in Shadows + OUTRI @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Thu 01: The Shayo Experiment @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Shayo Oshodi & Liam Oliver.
Thu 01: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free.

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, 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

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

Sylvia said...

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

Lance said...

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

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