Bebop Spoken There

Ludovic Beier (Django Festival Allstars): ''Manouche means 'free man,' and gypsies have been travelers since they migrated west from India to Europe.'' (DownBeat March, 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

18336 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 190 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Feb. 28), 90

From This Moment On ...

March

Sun 08: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 9:30am. School Section & Youth Section (all day). £10.00. (£20.00 weekend ticket). Day 3/3.
Sun 08: The 58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson's Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: TRIO-SKW @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Josh Savage (drums); Lucas Kelly (organ); Tim ‘Bim’ Williams (guitar).
Sun 08: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: Trish Clowes’ My Iris @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 08: Durham University Big Band & Foot Notes @ Elvet Methodist Church, Durham. 7:30pm. £10.00., £8.00., £6.00. Big band & a cappella ensemble.

Mon 09: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 10: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 11: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 11: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free

Thu 12: Boomslang @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Fri 13: Paul Skerritt Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm . £9.00.
Fri 13: The SH#RP Collective @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Soothsayers + Rookie Numbers @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £17.51., £14.33., £11.16.

Sat 14: The Too Bad Jims @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm (6:30pm doors). £13.20., £11.00. R&B.
Sat 14: NUJO @ Venue, Newcastle University Students’ Union. Time TBC. £15.00. supporter; £10.00. standard; £5.00. student. Seated event.

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, April 28, 2025

Neil Yates with the Bim Williams Trio @ the Moor Club, Stockport - April 27

© Jeff Pritchard
Neil Yates (trumpet, tenor sax, vocals); Bim Williams (guitar); Andrew Patterson (bass); Josh Savage (drums).

I kept hearing from various sources why I should not travel on Sunday (something about a Manchester Marathon causing delays) but when Stockport born brassman  Neil Yates makes a rare visit to his home-town there was no way I was going to miss that. There were many jazz fans who obviously had the same idea as by the time the 8:oopm start time rolled along, the music room was full and there was  an overspill of patrons into the adjoining area by the bar.  

Sharing the bandstand was Bim Williams, a guitarist that I would describe as brilliant. I think this Sunday was his first appearance at the Moor Club but it would be nice if he made a speedy return visit.      
Neil's first tune out of eight (four per set) was a Charlie Parker composition Au Privave which was followed by My One and Only Love and featured some sensitive brushwork by drummer Savage - a new name to me but one to watch out for. Next we heard Neil on tenor sax with Gentle Rain a bossa nova by Luiz Bonfá. He was using a rare Montreux tenor sax and he got into a Getz or Zoot Sims vibe which made for a nice contrast to his boppish trumpet work. 

The bass player, I found out later, is called Andrew Patterson and is another young musician to watch out for. On the final number, Softly as in a Morning Sunrise, drummer Josh Savage got an extended solo which featured some explosive stickwork that went down well. 

Neil is a big Chet Baker fan and he sang on Just Friends. Neil now lives in Conway, North Wales, and I recall some great times I had at three of the North Wales Jazz Festivals that Neil was involved in and I hope to see him at the Moor Club again before too long.

Next Sunday (May 4) reedsman Gair Carson will appear with Paul Hartley's Quartet. 

Au Privave; My One and Only Love; Gentle Rain; Just Friends;  Days of Wine and Roses; Loverman; It Could Happen to You; Softly as in a Morning Sunrise.
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1 comment :

Russell said...

I agree, Tim 'Bim' Williams is a brilliant guitarist.

Monday, April 28, 2025 9:03:00 pm

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