For Sand Dancers* Only - Jazzin' around South Shields

(Fred Rowe)

Possibly the first ever jazz club I visited was the Wouldhave Restaurant on the sea front at South Shields. With the night club boom of the 1960s it became the Beach Club and then the Shoreline Club. It was the kind of place where even Hell's Angels feared to tread! However, back then, in the early 1950s, on a Sunday night it was a jazz club featuring the Rivermouth Jazzmen with Fred Rowe on trumpet, Bill Harper on piano as well as others whose names now escape me. Unfortunately, it didn't have a liquor licence so it was necessary to tank up beforehand then sprint across the road to the Sea Hotel for further sustenance during the interval.

JAZZ SUPPER WITH JEREMY MCMURRAY & THE POCKET JAZZ ORCHESTRA FRI 23 JULY 2021 - FRI 20 AUGUST 2021

(Press release)

MUSIC

Featuring some of the North East’s top musicians, The jazz outfit features pianist Jeremy McMurray, bassist Peter Ayton, drummer Paul Smith, Paul Donnelly on jazz guitar and saxophonist Mark Toomey with a repertoire that incorporates a mixture of lyrical melodies and rich harmonies from the great American songbook, to the full passion and fire that is associated with the bebop idiom. This is an experience you don’t want to miss! 

Sunday Night @ the Award-Winning Globe: Alter Ego - July 18

(Screenshot by Ken Drew)

Dave Hignett (trumpet, flugel); Keith Robinson (alto/soprano sax); Niall Armstrong (tenor sax, flute); Paul Donnelly (guitar); Tony Abel (bass guitar); Dave Johnson (drums).

Q: What's the difference between a live gig and a livestream?

A: The former is usually too short and the latter is usually too long!

To elaborate. On a live gig you're enjoying it in the, socially distanced, convivial company of like-minded enthusiasts. Come the interval, drinks are ordered, observations are made about the gig, even a chance to chat with the performers or, maybe, strike up a new acquaintance before the band return for an even better set - few bands show all their cards in the opening deal.

Tonite: Alter Ego @ The Globe

(Press release)

Alter Ego, based in Newcastle, is a sextet made up of talented, like-minded musicians all of whom have experience performing in a variety of musical styles. In order to develop an individual sound they have moved away from the standard jazz repertoire in favour of lesser known material originally performed by groups led by Art Blakey, Hank Mobley and Miles Davis while also introducing many new original numbers.

The Foundry Jazz Ensemble @ J's & B's - July 18

(Photo by Russell)

Jude Murphy (double bass, vocals); Judah Grunstein (guitar); Bernie Ransom (keyboards, tenor sax, vocals)

The Foundry Jazz Ensemble came into being from lockdown rehearsal sessions on the Foundry Lane Industrial Estate down in the Ouseburn. Now that restrictions are beginning to ease, Jude Murphy is keen to get a few gigs in the diary. This afternoon's performance in the grounds of St James' and St Basil's in Fenham, Newcastle was one of them.

Mornington Lockett featuring Henry Lowther @ the 606 Club - July 17

(Collage by Lance)

Henry Lowther (trumpet/flugel); Mornington Lockett (tenor sax); Gareth Williams (piano); Geoff Gascoyne (bass); Mark Fletcher (drums).

Tonight at the 606 was extra special - it was  Henry Lowther's 80th birthday!

Welcome aboard Henry.

 

However, before Henry joined the quartet, Mornington gave us 20 minutes of Without a Song. Blistering tenor that was more akin to the Williamsburg Bridge in NYC rather than the somewhat closer - at least physically if not musically - Stamford Bridge. The Williamsburg Bridge, for the benefit of jazz neophytes, is where Sonny Rollins took his sabbatical, practising into the early hours with no worries about the neighbours knocking! Without a Song came from the album inspired by Rollins' nocturnal activity - The Bridge.

KSTV: Norah Jones' Come Away with Me - July 17

(Screenshot by Ken Drew)

Hattie Whitehead (vocals, guitar); Alex Haynes (guitar); Joe Webb (piano); Daisy George (double bass); Lloyd Haynes (drums) 

Signed to Blue Note, Norah Jones' debut studio album would go on to sell 27m copies worldwide making Come Away with Me one of the biggest selling records of all time, period. A Billboard 200 chart-topper, Grammy award-winning, who's to argue with its popularity? Jones' 2002 debut recording featured some stellar jazz names - guitarists Bill Frisell and Adam Rogers, violinist Jenny Scheinman and drummer Brian Blade. 

Album review: Matt Ridley - The Antidote

Matt Ridley (bass); Alex Hitchcock (saxes); Ant Law (guitar); Tom Hewson (piano/keys); Marc Michel (drums)

I don’t know why it was this album that set me off waxing philosophically on the nature of the jazz combo and its longevity. The basic bass/drums/keys rhythm section plus frontline looks to have been with us since the big band leaders sat down with their accountants and realised that the personnel budget needed a dose of austerity. That this template has been with us for over 70 years means that any musician who wishes to use it must do so in a way that keeps it fresh; that there’s bite in the old dog still.

Aycliffe Radio Jazz Time. Sunday July 18 Playlist

Jamaica Jazz; Quintette du Hot Club de France.

Dean Stockdale’s Picks: Oscar Peterson x 2; Hank Mobley; Bill Evans; Ray Brown Trio; Fred Hersch.

Charlie Mariano; Ben Wilcock; Jasmine Lovell-Smith; Brian Hudson; Peggy Lee/Quincy Jones; Gerry Mulligan Sextet.

Mike Dixon

More Manchester Music

Our way out west correspondent  - Mike Farmer - has sent us this update of the latest listings from The Railway, 74-76 Wellington Road North Stockport SK4 1HF Tel 0161 477 3680.