Bebop Spoken There

Joe Alterman: ''All I wanted to do growing up was to sound like Erroll Garner playing "Poor Butterfly." I thought that was the coolest sound I'd ever heard.'' (DownBeat November, 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

19,061 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 925 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Oct. 30) 104.

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

October.

Sat 31: Saltburn Big Band + Durham Alumni Big Band @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Sat 31: East Coast Swing Band @ Cramlington Village Club, Park View, Cramlington NE23 6QJ. 7:30pm. £10.00. (from venue).

November

Sun 01: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 01: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Quintet w. special guest Donna Hewitt (tenor sax, clarinet)
Sun 01: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: Sarah Heneghan Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 02: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 02: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Tue 03: Alan Law @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free. Alan Law (piano) w. guest tba
Tue 03: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.
Tue 03: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 04: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 04: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 04: An Evening of Erykah Badu @ Holy GrAle, Durham. 7:30pm. £3.00.; £2.50. A Durham University Jazz Society event.
Wed 04: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 05: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 05: Hejira - Celebrating Joni Mitchell @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm.
Thu 05: Cut Capers @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors).
Thu 05: Northern Reaches @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free (donations). Pete Tanton, Joe Steels, Laurence Blackadder, John Hirst.
Thu 05: Fergus McCreadie @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Fri 06: Mike Durham’s International Classic Jazz Party @ Village Hotel, West Allotment. 12 noon. Day 1/3.
Fri 06: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 06: Jazz Night: Bridget Metcalfe @ Saltburn House Hotel. From 6:00pm. Tickets: £40.00 (inc. a two-course meal & glass of Prosecco). Tel: 01287 658977.

Monday, March 24, 2025

Paul Hartley Quartet featuring Jeff Guntren @ the Moor Club, Heaton Moor, Stockport - March 23

© Jeff Pritchard
Paul Hartley  (guitar); Jeff Guntren (tenor sax); Ken Marley (bass); Dave Walsh drums.

As Paul explained in his informative preview on BSH earlier last week, Jeff Guntren was born in the state of Iowa, USA near the town of Davenport which is well known as being the birthplace of jazz legend Bix Beiderbecke. 

Jeff now lives in Bramhall, a town close to Stockport, and a place I spent a lot of time in when I was younger, particularly in the park when we had lots of snow in winter. In summer we'd hang out at the open air swimming pool. The pools (there was also an indoor one) have long gone but the park and hall are still there.
I digress - back to the gig.    

After introducing himself to the audience Jeff started the show with an uptempo  Have You Met Miss Jones? which had everyone cooking up a storm. Next we heard a great version of Alone Together a number I first heard Hank Mobley play on the brilliant Jazz Messengers at the Cafe Bohemia album. 

Jeff then changed down a gear into ballad mode on Jimmy Van Heusen's  Darn That Dream  after which came a number that Joe Henderson liked to play Bronislaw Caper's  Invitation. By the end of the first set everyone was in agreement - Jeff Gundren  knew his way around the saxophone!       

After a short interval the quartet did a tune that Dexter Gordon recorded on Blue Note, You Stepped Out Of A Dream.and then did the Freddie Hubbard classic in 3/4 time Up Jumped Spring  which featured some great basswork from Ken Marley plus Dave Walsh doing some tasty drumwork.  

After an ultra-fast I'll Remember April the show closed with Ornette's composition Turnaround.     

To sum up the evening was highly enjoyable, and for a change the trains for the last 3 weeks have arrived on time and also the taxis back home have improved somewhat. I once owned a record  by Milt Jackson - Things Are Getting Better - so maybe that's an omen!  

Next week the band at the Moor Club on March 30 is the Sam Lightwing  Quartet Sunday night 8:00-10:00pm. Mike Farmer

Have You Met Miss Jones?; Alone Together; Darn That Dream; Invitation; You Stepped Out of a Dream; Up Jumped Spring; I'll Remember April; Turnaround.
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