Bebop Spoken There

Art Blakey (to Terence Blanchard): ''You ain't Miles find your own shit to do!'' (DownBeat May, 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

18504 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 368 of them this year alone and, so far this month (May 7 ) 22

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

From This Moment On

May

Sat 16: Sing Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Alexia Gardner. God Bless the Child - Lady Day!. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 16: Kaberry Big Band @ the Seahorse Pub, Hillheads Rd., Whitley Bay NE23 8HR. From 7:30pm. £15.00
Sat 16: Lady Nade @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. ‘Lady Nade sings Nina Simone’.

Sun 17: Glenn Miller & Big Band Spectacular @ Forum Theatre, Billingham. 7:30pm.
Sun 17: QOW Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00. Spike Wells, Riley Stone-Lonergan & Eddie Myer.

Mon 18: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 18: Mark Williams Trio @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 19: GoGo Penguin + Daudi Matsiko @ Wylam Brewery, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £22.00 + £4.40 bf.
Tue 19: Danny Lowndes’ Hot Club @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £15.00 + £5.00 bf.
Tue 19: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Mark Robertson (drums).

Wed 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 20: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 20: Jordan Jackson @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £19.80 (inc. bf); £15.40 (inc. bf).
Wed 20: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 21: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 21: Jazz Classics with Rivkala @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Rivkala (vocals); Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass).
Thu 21: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Fri 22: Paul Skerritt @ Market Place, Durham. From 12 noon. Free. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Fri 22: Paul Edis Trio @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £9.00. Edis, Andy Champion, Steve Hanley.
Fri 22: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 22: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 22: Paul Edis Trio @ St Cuthbert’s Centre, Crook. 7:30pm. £TBC. Edis, Andy Champion, Steve Hanley.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Customs House Big Band and Ruth Lambert

When the Customs House Big Band kicked off with "In The Mood" I almost groaned until I remembered the Glenn Miller version as being the first big band disc I ever bought. To complain now would be akin to shooting myself in the foot - I still have the '78' rpm record!
There were other Miller numbers - "American Patrol" and "Tuxedo Junction" - but there were also charts by Bill Holman (The Man I Love), Sammy Nestico, Neal Hefti (Li'l Darlin') and the even more contemporary Gordon Goodwin which made for a well rounded program that was appreciated by a decent sized crowd. The saxes are a nicely balanced section with good soloists in Jill Brett, alto, and tenormen John Hudson and Alan Marshall. Elaine Willis, daughter of guitarist Roy, blew 2nd alto and Chris Kaberry on bari stood in for Christine Atkinson. Gordon Marshall led the trumpets (Ken de Vere, Paul Gledhill, Harry Ruddick Damian Kelly) from the upper slopes of Mount Olympus as well as taking care of the solos. Trombone choruses were shared by Mike Fletcher, Chris Smith (?) Gareth Weaver(?) with MD Peter Morgan filling out the section, when not leading, on bass trombone.
Down in the galley and cooking were Bill Britain (pno), Roy Willis (gtr) - Hi Roy, long time no see - Bill Colledge (bs) and, fresh from driving the jazz-rock trio HCW at the Gateshead Jazz Festival, drummer John Hirst who proved to be equally adept in a swinging big band situation - a true all-rounder.
As if this wasn't enough - we were served up a mouthwatering dessert in the form of Ruth Lambert who positively revelled in having such a big band backing. Her material was perfect. "Always True To You Darling In My Fashion", "Black Coffee", "Almost Like Being In Love", "World On A String", "Hard Hearted Hannah", and an incredible revival of Rosie Clooney's "Mambo Italiano" were just some of the numbers Ruth delighted the audience with before the final "Alright, Okay, You Win" brought the gig to a stomping close. Photos.
Lance.
PS: Don't forget folks, they do it all again on Wednesday (25th) - same time same place.
PPS: The band's excellent CD "Love For Sale" is now on sale for a fiver. It includes vocals by Ruth and is well worth a 'deep sea diver'.
PPPS: And, of course, there's the great CLARE TEAL gig at the Customs House on Thursday.
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