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Bebop Spoken There

Sullivan Fortner: ''I always judge it by the bass player: If the bass player is happy, it's going to be a good night". (DownBeat, February 2025).

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

17822(and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 143 of them this year alone and, so far, 68 this month (Feb.25).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Wed 26: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 26: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 26: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 27: Jamie McCredie @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Fri 28: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. THIS WEEK ONLY JAMES BIRKETT (guitar)!
Fri 28: Luis Verde Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 28: Spilt Milk @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £8.00.
Fri 28: Knats @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £11.50. (inc bf.). Album launch gig. Support act TBC.
Fri 28: Black is the Color of My Voice @ The Gala, Durham. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman show inspired by the life of Nina Simone, performed by Florence Odumosu.
Fri 28: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival: Musicians Unlimited @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 8:00pm. £10.00. (Weekend ticket £20.00., available on the door). Day 1/3. Musicians Unlimited in concert.
Fri 28: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

MARCH 2025

Sat 01: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 11:00am. £15.00. Day 2/3.
Sat 01: TJ Johnson Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 01: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £25.00. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Get your funk on! Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 01: Shunyata Improvisation Group @ The Watch House, Cullercoats. 2:00-3:30pm. Free.
Sat 01: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers. Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Lapwing Jazz Trio @ Three Sheets to the Wind, Alnwick. 5:15pm or 5:45pm (times tbc). Part of the Alnwick Story Festival's music fringe programme: Free.
Sat 01: Struggle Buggy @ The Peacock, Sunderland. 6:00pm. Blues band.
Sat 01: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Joseph O’Brien: The Ultimate Tribute to Frank Sinatra @ Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm. O’Brien & seven piece band (inc. Wendy Kirkland, Jim Corry & Pat Sprakes).
Sat 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 01: Jack & Jay’s Vintage Songbook @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 02: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 11:00am. £10.00. Day 3/3.
Sun 02: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 02: Nauta @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 02: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free (donations).
Sun 02: Side Café Orkestar @ Café Under the Spire, Derwentwater Road, Gateshead. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 02: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 02: Milne Glendinning Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 6:30pm.
Sun 02: Bella by Barlight @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 02: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Spittal Bowling Club, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 02: Ali Watson Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 03: Milne Glendinning Band @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance.
Mon 03: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 04: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Victoria & Albert Inn, Seaton Delaval. Tel: 0191 237 3697. 12:30pm. £8.00. ‘Jazz ‘n’ Pancakes’.
Tue 04: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.
Tue 04: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, North St., Ferryhill DL17 8HX. 7:30pm. Free.

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

Wednesday, June 01, 2011

Dave Connolly Shock News!

I heard last night the sad news that well known Teesside trumpet player and band leader Dave Connolly has died. No further details are available at present. Lance. YouTube link from John Moorley.
at

5 comments :

Anonymous said...

Very, very sad. Dave was an amazing guy.

Wednesday, June 01, 2011 11:46:00 pm
Anonymous said...

he was a great musician/ arranger/engineer, he will be missed , stu c

Thursday, June 02, 2011 2:55:00 pm
Anonymous said...

RIP Dave - you will be deeply missed. Fiona & Steve

Thursday, June 02, 2011 7:26:00 pm
john moorley said...

I first got to know Dave last autumn. I’d seen him around College and in the White Horse where he was a regular and where my girlfriend and I occasionally visit late Saturday pm. I introduced myself; we immediately warmed to each other, clearly shared taste in music and seemed to have much else in common.

When we had spoken to him about three times he produced two complimentary tickets for us to attend the Newcastle City Hall last November where he had put together a big band and produced the arrangements for the whole evening where Jason Isaacs was the featured singer. It was a terrific evening. Here is a clip from the event - he appears within the first 15 secs and little thereafter.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JItw1jEpwYo&feature=related

I last spoke to Dave about 2 weeks ago when I crossed the road for a meal in the White Horse and we conversed for about 40 minutes. We talked of his 'new' car, his recent and future ‘gigs’ and his enthusiasm in developing the degree course with Sunderland. His company was always most congenial.

With my limited acquaintanceship, he seemed to be thoroughly nice man with a keen sense of humour. His overriding quality seemed to be modesty. To misquote a well-known phrase, "He was extremely modest with little to be modest about". When Jason Isaacs paid tribute to him at the concert, he was hiding somewhere at the back of the stage instead of receiving the much-deserved applause.

Three weeks ago he attended the funeral of Alfie Hines, a major big band music presence in Darlington whom he had known for years and who organised the Darlington Youth Band in the late 60s and 70s and in which Dave was member. The Band gained national acclaim and well-known Jazz men attended. Recently BBC4 showed a young looking Johnny Dankworth playing with Darlington Youth Band in the early 1970s. Dave told me of his playing in Eric Delaney's Band for several years and playing in support to PJ Proby, Anita Harris and what seemed a roll call of 1970s – 90s glitterati. I was looking forward to pursuing these threads further.

I mourn Dave’s departure out of all proportion to the length of time I have known him and my 8 hours or so in his company.

John Moorley
Until recently, Chair of Bishop Auckland College

Wednesday, June 08, 2011 5:01:00 pm
Dave Priestman said...

Hope you play better golf up there mate.
DAVE PRIESTMAN

Wednesday, June 08, 2011 5:35:00 pm

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