North East Jazz September Round Up

Jeff Barnhardt 2 Sept St Augustine's, Darlington

Russell Corbett writes

Autumn is around the corner but there is no let up in jazz activity across the north east of England. A new festival of jazz and improvised music, brass (no muck) at an agricultural show, a gypsy jazz campfire gathering, a tasty treat in a deli, an appointment in the abbey, a Heritage Open Days jazz gig and a CD launch, definitely something for everyone.

The first Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music makes its bow Sep 29-Oct 1. Four days, five venues, numerous performances, ranging from a lunchtime solo piano concert by Zoe Rahman to a triple bill finale of contemporary trios, for details visit www.jazznortheast.com

Nikki Iles Quartet can be heard in the magnificent setting of Hexham Abbey (Sep 23) as part of this year’s Hexham Abbey Festival of Music & Arts (the sixty fifth edition). Iles will be working with Stan Sulzmann, Pete Turner and Dave Walsh. Rather more small scale, but nonetheless of equal merit, the Virtuoso Jazz Trio return to St George’s URC, Morpeth in Northumberland as part of this year’s Heritage Open Days scheme. Octogenarian Canadian ex-pat clarinetist George MacDonald leads the VJT in the most engaging manner and a programme of GASbook delights is assured (Sep 9).

Jazz in a field? The Northern Monkey Brass Band will entertain an audience of homo sapiens and bovine listeners at the Stanhope Show in Upper Weardale during the afternoon of Sep 10. Round-up the Hot Club devotees for an all day Gypsy Jazz Workshop (Sep 16) at Barn at Easington. The  Thorp Lea East Farm site in Easington Colliery will stage non-stop gypsy jazz culminating in a real campfire jam session! More Manouche happenings in the somewhat more humble surroundings of Claypath Delicatessen in Durham City on the afternoon of Sep 24th with Mick Shoulder’s excellent Swing Manouche on the menu.

Jeff Barnhart is the big name American in the region this month. The pianist will renew his working relationship with reedsman John Hallam at St Augustine’s, Darlington (lunchtime, Sep 2). A matter of seven days later, again in Darlington, not one, but two, first rate pianists team up once again for what has become an occasional duo gig. Opus 4 Jazz Club was packed the last time Darlington’s Dean Stockdale worked with David Newton. This renewal (Sep 8) is likely to be just as busy.

Hexham Jazz Club meets monthly at the Fox Inn. The doyen of north east pianists, Mr Alan Glen, will enjoy working at the Fox, an attentive audience is guaranteed, as is an encore. Put the date in the diary – Tuesday 5. Emerging pianist Fergus McCreadie will make a big impression at the Jazz Co-op’s Globe public house (Sep 9), a place Mr Glen knows well. Later in the month (23) guitarist Tobie Carpenter turns up at the Globe with his organ trio – Jamie Safir, organ and David Ingamells, drums – at Jazz Co-op HQ (Sep 23). This promises to be a gem of a gig. Tyneside’s guitar wizard  Mark Williams has a new CD on the stocks and he is to launch it at the Jazz Café (Sep 23) as part of the Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music.

The folk world’s Andy Lawrenson unveils his new jazz trio – Simon O’Byrne and Paul Grainger – at the Jazz Café on Sep 3, Courtney Pine plays tenor saxophone for the first time in ten years on Sep 21 at Sage Gateshead, and World Service Project pop up at Hoults Yard, Newcastle as part of the three day, largely non-jazz, Home Gathering event (Sep 15). Another busy month!            

 Sep 1 Tees Valley Jazzmen Ormesby Hall, Middlesbrough TS3 0SR

Sep 2 Jeff Barnhart & John Hallam* St Augustine’s, Darlington DL3 7TG

Sep 3 Andy Lawrenson Trio Jazz Co-op @ The Globe NE4 7AD

Sep 5 Alan Glen Trio Fox Inn, Hexham NE46 3DB

Sep 6 Big Muddy The elephant, Ashington NE63 0SZ 

Sep 7 Lickety Split Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough TS5 5DT

Sep 8 Dean Stockdale & David Newton Traveller’s Rest, Darlington DL3 9ER

Sep 8 Mark Williams & Joel Byrne-McCullough Jazz Café NE1 5DW

Sep 9 Virtuoso Jazz Trio* St George’s URC, Morpeth NE61 1PD

Sep 9 Fergus McCreadie Trio Jazz Co-op @ The Globe NE4 7AD

Sep 10 Northern Monkey Brass Band* Stanhope Show DL13 2PQ

Sep 10 Perpetual Motion Machine + Sinclair, Proud & Edis Bridge Hotel NE1 1RQ

Sep 13 Swing Street Pier Red, Berwick upon Tweed TD15 1LF

Sep 14 Ruth Lambert Trio Vault, Hexham NE46 1XD

Sep 15 Zoë Gilby Quartet* Gala Theatre, Durham DH1 1WA

Sep 15 World Service Project Hoults Yard NE6 2HL

Sep 15 Ruth Lambert Quartet St Cuthbert’s Centre, Crook DL15 9DN

Sep 15 Emma Fisk & James Birkett + Hot Club du Nord Jazz Café NE1 5DW

Sep 16 Gypsy Jazz Workshop* The Barn at Easington SR8 3UT

Sep 16 Emily Bacon’s Good Time Gang Blakelaw Community Church NE5 3SW

Sep 17 Vieux Carré Jazzmen* Whitley Bay Classic Car Show NE2 6 1QQ

Sep 17 Emily Bacon’s Good Time Gang* Jazz Café @ The Globe NE4 7AD

Sep 21 Courtney Pine Sage Gateshead NE8 2JR

Sep 21 Emma Fisk & James Birkett St Cuthbert’s Church, Shadforth DH6 1LF

Sep 22 Zoë Gilby Quartet* Bishop Auckland Town Hall DL14 7NP

Sep 22 Sean Noonan Jazz Café NE1 5DW

Sep 23 Nikki Iles Quartet Hexham Abbey NE46 3NB

Sep 23 Tobie Carpenter Organ Trio Jazz Co-op @ The Globe NE4 7AD

Sep 24 Mick Shoulder’s Swing Manouche* Claypath Delicatessen, Durham DH1 1QS

Sep 27 Emma Fisk & James Birkett The Witham, Barnard Castle DL12 8LY

Sep 28 Bearpark Jazz Café NE1 5DW

Sep 29 Zoe Rahman* Lit & Phil NE1 1SE

Sep 29 John Herbert & the Fury Cluny NE1 2PQ

Sep 29 Mark Williams Trio Jazz Café NE1 5DW

Sep 29 Ray Harris Hoochie Coochie NE1 6SF

Sep 30 Paul Taylor* Lit & Phil NE1 1SE

Sep 30 Take Five* Lit & Phil NE1 1SE

Sep 30 Troyka Black Swan NE1 1SG