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

Thu 18: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 18: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 18: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 18: 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 19: Joe Steels Group @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 19: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 19: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 19: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 19: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 19: Ferg’s Imaginary Big Band @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £14.33., £11.16., £8.00.
Fri 19: Martin Litton @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. £13.01 (inc. bf); £6.50 (inc. bf); £15.00 on the door. Solo piano. CANCELLED!
Fri 19: Jools Holland’s R&B Orchestra @ Hippodrome, Darlington. 7:30pm. Joe Webb support set.
Fri 19: Hot Club du Nord @ Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 19: Jive Aces: The Roots of Rock & Roll @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £20.00 + bf.

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.

Monday, November 24, 2025

Sunday night @ the Globe: Greg Abate w. the Dean Stockdale Trio - Nov. 23

© John Lyons
Greg Abate (alto sax); Dean Stockdale (piano); Ken Marley (bass); Abbie Finn (drums)

A taxi dash from Pilgrim St. to Railway St. got me to the Globe in time to catch the great American alto saxophonist Greg Abate. A JNE/Jazz Co-op c0-promotion, this gig too was well-attended and deservedly so.

© John Lyons
Abate has made many appearances in the north east dating back to the early days of BSH when the Corner House was still the epicentre of Newcastle's jazz scene. Indeed Greg was probably one of the last American 'names' to play there.

Since then there have been few jazz venues he hasn't played at in the area, often with varying personnel and always with a positive response. This line-up is probably as good as any and they responded intuitively to the twists and turns he often indulged in.

© Ken Drew
A noted Parker specialist, he opened the first set dancing through the changes of Yardbird Suite with a facility that eludes all but the chosen few. He does it meaningfully, not just fingerbusting runs that he learned in the woodshed but phrases and passages picked up during a lifetime of gigging around the world.

© Ken Drew
Ceora, by Lee Morgan, was followed by Softly as in a Morning Sunrise which wasn't softly at all but had blistering solos all round with Abbie in particular working out impressively and one of many fine solos by Marley.

Kerry's Song, composed by Greg for his wife, was a pleasant bossa whilst Body and Soul was packed with emotion from all four. Beautiful!

On the Road, a fast original that brought the set to a close with a bang. Incidentally, a live version by Greg recorded at the Black Swan with the Paul Edis Trio  can be viewed on YouTube HERE (see comment).

© Ken Drew
After the raffle won by number 89 the second set got underway with On Green Dolphin St. followed by an original by Greg dedicated to his children then more 'Bird' with Billie's Bounce and Steeplechase which segued into Ornithology.

Angel Eyes was something else. Not just by Greg whose solo was drenched in emotion but also by Stockdale who had been, and still was, in top form from the off. YouTube LINK.

The show finished with Kenny Barron's Voyage which brought a most enjoyable evening to a close. Come back soon. Lance

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1 comment :

Ken Drew said...

A fine evening with great musicians playing a good selection of well-known or self-penned tunes by Abate. Nice for Lance (reviewer-in-chief) to have remembered and referenced an earlier Abate visit (Nov 2019) when Jazz North East shared a couple of tunes - the other one was Angel Eyes (a fond favourite of mine) with Abate playing flute, and Paul Edis on keys. This was the first year in which I'd shot videos.... there has been some improvement since then - but the playing always stands its own ground - solid !! Angel Eyes Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5oX1R-Fpa8

Monday, November 24, 2025 7:51:00 PM

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