Bebop Spoken There

Emma Rawicz: "In a couple of years I've gone from being a normal university student to suddenly being on international stages." DownBeat January 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

18246 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 100 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 31), 100

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Wed 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 04: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 04: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 05: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject:Times of the Day & Trios.
Thu 05: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Special guest Emma Wilson.
Thu 05: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 06: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 06: Durham Alumni Big Band & Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn Theatre. 7:30pm. £12.00. Two big bands on stage together!
Fri 06: Nauta + Littlewood Trio @ Little Buildings, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Double bill + jam session.
Fri 06: FILM: Made in America @ Star & Shadow Cinema, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Ornette Coleman.
Fri 06: Deep Six Blues @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm.

Sat 07: The Big Easy @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 07: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30-3:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 08: Swing Tyne @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12 noon (doors). Donations. Swing dance taster class (12:30pm) + Hot Club de Heaton (live performance). Non dancers welcome.
Sun 08: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 09: Mark Williams Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 09: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 10: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ 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

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.

Blog Archive