Bebop Spoken There

Dominick "Domo" Branch: ''Most people say drummers can't write, they're just time-keepers only beating on things. But I have a very musical brain.'' (DownBeat February, 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

18288 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 142 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Feb. 14), 42

From This Moment On ...

February

Wed 18: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 18: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 18: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 19: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: George Shearing Jazz Moments.

Fri 20: Alex Clarke w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT! Clarke w. Dean Stockdale, Mick Shoulder, Abbie Finn.
Fri 20: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 20: Squabble @ Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7:00pm. Steve Chambers (organ); Jude Murphy (double bass, vocals); Sid White (drums).
Fri 20: Jive Aces @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:00pm (6:30pm doors).
Fri 20: Alex Clarke w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Clarke w. Dean Stockdale, Mick Shoulder, Abbie Finn.

Sat 21: ???

Sun 22: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 22: Joe Steels Group @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. A Blue Patch album tour.
Sun 22: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Harben Kay Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 23: Joe Steels Group @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. A Blue Patch album tour.
Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 24: Finn-Keeble Group @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00.
Tue 24: Liam Oliver & Shayo Oshodi @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 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

Saturday, January 31, 2009

Felled again!

Somebody up there doesn't want me down there in Low Fell. Last Friday, Roy Williams was at Jazz At The Fell with the Vieux Carré Jazzmen but I didn't find out until the following Wednesday.
Tonight, I decided to listen to the New Century Ragtime Orchestra at the Dryden Centre in Low Fell. Now Dryden Road is a well known road in the area and it seemed to me that Dryden Road would be the logical place to site a Dryden Centre.
Wrong!
After driving up and down the long and winding road several times, I failed to uncover any Drydenic Centres. Asking the natives proved to be equally futile. Their responses were uniform; shaking of heads, narrowing of eyes, scratching of heads, widening of eyes. Where they differed was in their solutions. One sent me to a snooker club, another to a care home, yet another to a former hospital. It appeared that nobody in Dryden Road had a clue where the Dryden Centre, presumably a civic amenity, was.
By now, stomp off time had passed and the Ragtime Orchestra would probably have already played a few cakewalks and The Midnight Choo Choo may well have left for Alabam (where my honey lamb, am - beautiful triple rhyme!). Cold and frustrated, I gave up and went home.
Checking the flier, given to me by Ragtime Dave Kerr, I discovered that the Dryden Centre was actually in Evistone Gdns - a Buddy Bolden ff away from Dryden Road.
My own fault, I know, I should have ascertained the correct geographical location before leaving and I was tempted to return and catch the last set but, by this time, I'd made myself a coffee, fed the cat, put a Hank Mobley CD on the player and felt myself returning to normality.
Catch you next time guys - promise.

1 comment :

Anonymous said...

Sat nav time Lance?

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