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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

17957 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 278 of them this year alone and, so far, 34 this month (April 14).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Sun 20: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 20: Salty Dog @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 20: Spilt Milk @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 20: Tweed River Jazz Band @ The Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 20: C.A.L.I.E @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 21: Newcastle Record Fair @ Copthorne Hotel, Newcastle. 10:00am. Going in search of the Buddy Bolden cylinder…
Mon 21: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. Coquetdale Jazz.

Wed 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 23: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 23: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED!

Thu 24: Mary Coughlan @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £33.80. Blues, jazz etc.
Thu 24: Darlington Big Band @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

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: 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.

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

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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