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

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.

Thu 26: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £6.50.
Thu 26: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00 adv.
Thu 26: Mick Cantwell Band @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Blues.

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

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Alan Price - Heartbeat

They were re-running an old episode of 'Heartbeat' this morning. Playing the part of a musician was Alan Price - sit down that person who said that that must have been a difficult role for him to play - who, predictably, sang "The House of the Rising Sun", "I Put a Spell on You" and "Changes".
I've long had an interest in 'Pricey' as he was born only a couple of streets away from me and later on was always at the fringe of the local jazz scene.
In particular, I recall a City Hall concert - "The Price of Fame" with the combined talents of Alan Price and Georgie Fame. I seem to recall the support band was Last Exit and that afterwards there was a late night jam session at that hotel near the old Oxford Galleries.
My memory is a bit hazy after all these years - probably about 35 - can anyone else recall it?
Lance

3 comments :

Anonymous said...

Mr Price split from The Animals and took an already established front line of some of the best guys in Newcastle Jazz to form his new band.
Later, The Alan Price Set were booked at The Cellar Club in Ashington; they turned up late and asked for volunteers to carry the gear in. I was helping to lift Price's organ from the Dormobile when I dropped my end on to the floor. A large chunk of the cabinet broke off. I had never heard such language - even down the mine!!
Two weeks later they were on Top of the Pops. There was the organ with the corner missing and I was able to tell all my friends "I did that"!!
Many years later, the band was playing at Newbiggin Leisure Centre and Mr Price stopped the band mid-number. He then went round to chastise the drummer for not keeping time correctly.

Anonymous said...

Hi Lance

I remember Last Exit as the support to Alan Price but I can't recall Georgie Fame being there.

Some years later Price played a one-off r'n'b gig at Sunderland University with an all star band -the names of the band members will spring to mind...eventually !

Russell

Lance said...

You're probably right - I could be getting two gigs mixed up. I remember it was the Last Exit with Terry Ellis edition.

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