October at the Newcastle Jazz Cafe

Kora Band - 16 October

Dave Clarke writes from Newcastle's Jazz cafe

The Jazz Cafe’s five Friday gigs in October, Fridays being when we charge admission, begin on the 2nd with Mick Shoulder’s Swing Manouche, the leader of Djangologie’s  new band taking its inspiration from Reinhardt’s later quintets. On the 9th it’s a two part concert : first the rising stars of North East youth jazz in The Early Bird Band followed up by a solo piano concert by their leader, Paul Edis.

On the 16th October we welcome, from America, The Kora Band which in the words of The Oregonian “blends the swing and intellect of American jazz with the divine poetry of West African music.” Led by pianist and composer Andrew Oliver, it features Kane Mathis on kora  plus trumpet, bass and kit drums. They are touring to promote their third recording, commissioned with a prestigious Chamber Music America “New Jazz Works Grant.”

On the 23rd October we’re delighted to be  presenting  the funkiest Hammond Organ quartet north of Watford, the Gerry Richardson Quartet, celebrating twenty-five years of collaboration. Finally on the 30th James Birkett and Bradley Johnston’s Jazz Guitar Duo take the audience from early jazz and blues, through swing and bebop, to cool and contemporary jazz.

Free admission duo gigs take place every Saturday starting on the 3rd with Northern Line vocalist Lindsay Hannon and James Harrison keys. On the 10th Noel Dennis trumpet and flugelhorn plays with Dean Stockdale piano and on the 17th trombonist David Gray gets together with Mark Williams guitar. Charles Gordon piano and Kenny Hewitt saxophones on the 24th are both newcomers to the Cafe. Ray Johnson trumpet and flugelhorn and Tom Lapworth guitar met at a Tuesday Jam and their 31st October duo is the result.

The Jazz Cafe’s celebrated Tuesday Jams are free admission events and take place on the first and third Tuesdays of every month : the 6th and the 20th October.

Tues 27th Jazz North East presents Schmazz with Let Spin – (see earlier blog post).

Fuller details of our programme are available on our website at www.jazzcafe-newcastle.co.uk 

All gigs at Jazz Cafe, 25 Pink Lane, NEI 5DW, tel: 0191 2229882