Bebop Spoken There

Melissa Aldana: ''Having to play a ballads album, which is something very revealing for a saxophone player, would help me to question some new aspects of how to go deeper into sound." (DownBeat May, 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

18621 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 485 of them this year alone and, so far this month (June 14) 37

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

June

Sat 20: Tyne Valley Big Band @ Tynedale Beer Festival, Corbridge. 5:00-6:00pm.
Sat 20: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 20: Red Kites Jazz @ Staithes Café, Dunston. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Sat 20: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Trinity Church, Gosforth, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00. NCRO w. guests Dean Stockdale & Nick Ward.

Sun 21: From Lagos to Longbenton: Unity in the Community @ Sunderland Minster. From 1:30pm. Free. A multi-bill Unity in the Community event, inc. From Lagos to Longbenton.
Sun 21: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 21: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free. Trio w. Graham Hardy.
Sun 21: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Magpies of Swing @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 22: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 23: Alan Law Trio @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free.
Tue 23: Jude Murphy & Dan Stanley @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 24: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 24: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 24: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 25: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 25: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: Forgotten Ones & Any Quintets.
Thu 25: Edgar Ho Trio @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free. Brilliant alto sax, piano & double bass trio. Unmissable!
Thu 25: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Fri 26: Finn-Keeble Group @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £9:00.
Fri 26: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 26: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 26: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 26: Clark Tracey @ Live Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Newcastle Jazz Festival. £26.00. Day 1/2.

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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