Bebop Spoken There

Gary Bartz: ''Music is nature's gift to man. It's the only religion. We're living in a terrible era, but what a beautiful thing music is. Look how it brings us together like religion is supposed to; and with no language barriers.'' (Jazzwise September, 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

18897 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 761 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Sept. 11.) 40.

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

September.

Tue 15: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Ben Lawrence, Paul Grainger, Bailey Rudd.

Wed 16: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 16: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 16: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 17: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 17: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 17: Front Porch Blues @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 17: Amphitrio @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £7.00. Andrei Petrache (piano); Mike Alex (double bass); Philip Goron (drums).
Thu 17: Miles 100 @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £7.00. Jack Courtney (trumpet); Sue Ferris (tenor sax); Tom Atkinson (guitar); Alan Law (piano); Deon Krishnan (bass); Jeff Armstrong (drums). A night of Miles Davis.
Thu 24: 58 Jazz Collective @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Stranton, Hartlepool. 8:00pm. Free. .

Fri 18: Danny Lownes’ Hot Club @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 18: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 18: Mark Williams Trio @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.
Fri 18: Emma Fisk’s Hot Club du Nord @ St Cuthbert’s Centre, Crook. 7:30pm. £10.00., £5.00. student.
Fri 18: Rivkala + Beccy Sloan @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £10.00.

Sat 19: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal. All welcome.
Sat 19: Sing Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00-5:00pm. £27.50. Tutor: Alexia Gardner: Nina Simone. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 19: Ray Stubbs’ R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free.

Sat 19: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal. All welcome.

Sun 20: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 20: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 20: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.

Mon 21: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 21: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. Coltrane centenary.

Monday, June 23, 2025

Sunday night @ the Globe: JazzMain - June 22

© Sheila Herrick
Nick Gould (tenor sax); Steve Grossart (keys); Iain Harkness (bass guitar); Kevin Dorrian (drums) + Debra Milne (vocals)

Always a good gig when JazzMain are in town.  The Edinburgh based quartet are as devout followers of 1950's Blue Note style modern jazz as any band this side of the Atlantic with Dexter Gordon a major influence on front man Gould.

Not that JazzMain are mere copyists of their American contemporaries - far from it. They have taken the ingredients and produced their own dynamic delicacy that hit the spot with every note and phrase.

Love Walked In got things off to a good start. The rhythm section's light swing complementing Gould's hardblowing tenor. Jobim's Meditation kept the mood going over a gentle bossa rhythm. Chet Baker's For Minors Only showcased all and Jim Mullen's Soul Eyes had a solo (soulo?) by pianist Grossart that was exceptionally exceptional on a gig where exceptional was the norm. Wes Montgomery's Groove Yard then Clifford Brown's Daahoud, with a compelling duo exchange between tenor and bass, brought the set to a close.

Time to recharge - two gigs within an hour of each other was beginning to take its toll on me but someone's got to do it.

© Sheila Herrick
Dizzy's Tin Tin Deo brought back memories of a Vogue 78rpm disc that I may still have before the Sound of Surprise, that legend has as being one of jazz's essential items, appeared in the form of Debra Milne. 

Debra is one of the most efficient multi-taskers in and out of the north east jazz scene to the extent that we forgive her for being an avid supporter of Tottenham Hotspur - a football team from down south. Apart from holding a responsible position with the NHS, Debra also organises and books jazz gigs at the Globe, writes lyrics, co-leads the Milne, Glendinning Band and is also a jazz singer.

It was in this latter capacity that she was summoned to the stage to sing Miles' Four with the band. I'd heard her sing it before but never as effectively as this - chapeau! Debra followed up with Mel Tormé's Born to be Blue.

Attention turned back to the band with Dexter once again making his presence felt. It was as if that memorable concert he gave at Newcastle's University Theatre back in the 1980s had never ended.

Red Mitchell's Funji Mama, Rodgers and Hart's My Romance, Dexter's Fried Bananas and, finally, Soy Califa wrapped things up. Great gig! Lance

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1 comment :

Anonymous said...

Thanks so much for the review, we had a great time as always in the Globe with our friends. We tried a few new things which seemed to work and will be included in our fringe gigs in August. Lovely to see everyone last night. best Nick Gould

Monday, June 23, 2025 9:08:00 pm

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