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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, April 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

17923 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 244 of them this year alone and, so far, 91 this month (March 31).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Sat 05: Tenement Jazz Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 05: Sleep Suppressor @ Head of Steam, Newcastle. 5:30-6:00pm.
Sat 05: King Bees @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Raymond MacDonald & Jer Reid @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 6:00-9:30pm. £7.72., £1.00. (minimum donation). MacDonald & Reid + Objections + Yotuns.
Sat 05: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Kamasi Washington @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £33.00.
Sat 05: Vermont Big Band @ The Seahorse, Whitley Bay. 7:30pm. Tickets: £10.00 (from the venue).
Sat 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 06: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 06: Learning & Participation Showcase @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm (1:00pm doors). Free. Featuring participants from Play More Jazz! Play More Folk! Blue Jam Singers & more.
Sun 06: Joe Steels Group @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Ferg Kilsby, Joe Steels, Ben Lawrence, Paul Susans, John Hirst.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Hooch, Quayside, Newcastle. 6:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Sun 06: Leeway @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 07: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 07: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 08: ???

Wed 09: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 09: Tannery jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm.
Wed 09: Anatole Muster Trio @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £17.50., £12.50. concs.
Wed 09: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED?

Thu 10: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.CANCELLED!
Thu 10: Magpies of Swing @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £7.00. A Globe fundraiser (all proceeds to the venue).
Thu 10: Exhaust: Camila Nebbia/Kit Downes/Andrew Lisle @ Jesmond URC, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:30pm doors). £13.20., £11.00. JNE.
Thu 10: Jeremy McMurray & the Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Feat. guests Ray Dales & Jackie Summers.

Fri 11: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 11: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 11: John Rowland Trio: The Music of Ben Webster @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Rowland (tenor sax); Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass).
Fri 11: Imelda May @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 11: Shunyata Improvisation Group @ Cullercoats Watch House. 7:30-9:00pm. Free (donations).

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

Thursday, February 26, 2009

R.I.P Ian Carr - A North-east Innovator

Their can be few north-east jazz fans of 'a certain age' who aren't saddened by the death of Ian Carr. As co-leader of the now legendary Emcee Five he helped tell the world that hard bop wasn't confined to New York, L.A. or even London but was also flourishing at the Down Beat Club in Carliol Square, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
To this day I still play the vinyl recordings they made back in the early 1960s and believe you me they have stood the test of time.
Ian also wrote what is possibly the definitive book on Miles Davis.
I later heard him with Nucleus and other jazz/rock/experimental groups but, for me, I'll always remember that Milesian (what better description is there!) sound of his horn as I climbed the stairs at Carliol Square nearly 50 years ago.
Lance

6 comments :

Anonymous said...

Hi Lance

Sad news but not entirely unexpected.I saw Ian Carr's Nucleus in,of all places,Wallsend.I'd have loved to have heard him play years earlier-I make do with LPs (those things before CD).

Russell

Lance said...

Wallsend? I guess that would be the Buddle Arts Centre - I seem to recall being there myself.
I also saw Ian Carr at Wallsend's Rising Sun pub. Band included Tony Coe, John Etheridge, John Stevens as well as our own Nigel and Germaine Stanger - quite aa night.

Anonymous said...

Sad news but what great memories.
Have a look on Ian's web site:- (see links.)

Anonymous said...

Hi Lance

Yes it was the Buddle-not many there I recall.The line-up included north-east guitarist Mark Wood.Years earlier I heard Wood in the bar of the then University Theatre.He could only have been in his teens-looking and sounding like Barney Kessel.At the Buddle his image and sound had changed.Hair,leather trousers and a contemporary playing style ideal for Carr's Nucleus.

Whatever happened to Wood ? Is he still around on the London scene ?
At the University Theatre did he ''sit in'' or was he part of a regular band ? I can't remember.

Russell

Anonymous said...

I remember Mark Wood as being quite an amazing young player. I think he was at the College and I vagually associate him with a band that included Joy Askew - was this the 'Friends of Jazz' I wonder?
Perhaps 'Dave the Rave' can tell us. Possibly Roly knows what became of Mark Wood?
I'm pretty sure he's still around the London scene.

Anonymous said...

There's a photo of Mark Wood on the Nucleus site. A 2005 reunion shot. He still looks young!

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