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.

Friday, July 18, 2025

Greg Abate w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ the Lit & Phil - July 18

© Patti
Greg Abate (alto sax, flute); Dean Stockdale (piano); Mick Shoulder (bass); Abbie Finn (drums)

Faced with a circa six hours train journey from Exeter to Newcastle for a lunchtime gig at Newcastle's 200-year-old (to the very day) Literary & Philosophical Society many of the audience, including myself, wondered if Greg Abate would: a) arrive on time, b) just go through the motions or c) deliver the bebop blast we have grown to expect from him on his many previous visits to Newcastle?

The opening On Green Dolphin Street quickly dismissed our fears. He soared like an eagle who had just dined on fried yardbird. His fingers dexterously manipulating the keywork of Selmer's vintage flagship - the Mark VI alto saxophone - and the ideas flowed. It seemed effortless but how many hours did he spend in the woodshed to achieve such greatness - it wasn't thrust upon him?

© Patti
Parker's  Segment and KC Blues followed. Again some paintstripping and maybe the journey had taken its toll as piano, bass and drums strutted their stuff with extended solos. But no way, he was back again without loss of breath.

That breath was then channelled to flute for more 'Bird' in the form of My Little Suede Shoes - love that tune as I do the next one, Duke's In a Sentimental Mood. Never has a tune been so appropriately titled.

We were heading into the home straight - or so we thought! A couple of Abate originals: On the Road, a fast bossa that did what it said on the tin and Kerry's Song, a love ballad to his wife.

© Patti
To finish a belter of a blast on Yardbird Suite. He skinned that chicken every which way. Duo exchanges with drums, bass and piano and solos that rubber stamped the high positions the three of them hold in their respective instrumental pecking orders made this something else.

That was it and people began to leave - mad impetuous fools! The man from Woonsocket had one more trick up his sleeve. A play-off number that sounded more like Blue Monk than The Theme. Who cared? We were just too pleased for him to keep blowing and, if he hadn't had a gig at Darlo tonight or the civic dignitaries weren't having an anniversary rave later, he'd have still been blowing. Great gig! Lance

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