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

18219 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 73 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 24), 73

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Sat 31: Darling Dollies @ St George’s Church, Jesmond, Newcastle. 3:00pm. £10.00. Vocal trio.
Sat 31: Brass Fiesta @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 10:30pm. Free.

FEBRUARY 2026

Sun 01: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 01: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Quintet + guest Bill Watson (trumpet, flugelhorn).
Sun 01: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: Annie & the Caldwells @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £25.00. adv. Gospel/soul.
Sun 01: Jive Aces @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm.
Sun 01: Olly Styles Experience + Jenny Baker @ the Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 02: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 02: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 03: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 03: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

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 Community Hall. 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.

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

Monday, March 02, 2009

Roly Veitch Trio - Side Café

Roly Veitch (gtr/vcl), Noel Dennis (tpt/flug), Neil Harland (bs).
A small but attentive audience were appreciative of this miniature gem by Roly and his coherts. As always, known and not so well known standards were interspersed with original compositions tastefully served.
The highlights included Frishberg's "Dear Bix" sung with feeling by Roly and featuring some appropriate horn from Noel. "Line For Lyons", a tune made famous by the Gerry Mulligan Quartet, also came over well with good solos all round as well as some fuguelike interplay between guitar and flugel.
However, if I had to pick one tune to stand alone it would have to be "You're A Lucky Guy". This is my favourite tune of all time - or at least it is for today. I've got it on record by Becky Kilgore, Clifford Brown, Louis and Ruby Braff/ George Barnes but this is the first time I've ever heard it sung live for which I say "Thank you Roly - you, and the boys, did it justice."
Lance

6 comments :

Anonymous said...

Hi Lance

A nice relaxed evening at the Side.
The second set struck me as being particularly good. '' Grey Skies, Still Waters '' , a Veitch original, was particularly evocative.I wonder, was it intended to evoke the skies and waters of Blaydon ? '' Stella by Starlight '' a favourite of mine and I guess, of trumpeter Noel Dennis, was a highlight.I hadn't heard '' Lotus Blossom '' for a while - a nice version.

It occurred to me, as the rain fell outside, as if in a Edward Hopper interior (!) that had Chet Baker,Ruby Braff,Gerry Mulligan or Jimmy Knepper wandered up the stairs they would have been asking to sit-in.

Russell

Anonymous said...

They'd have had to pay the cover first. Remember, I once attempted to charge Stan Tracey to go into his own gig!

Anonymous said...

Can't resist retelling the tale I used to recant in the early days of Blaydon J.C. (to appropriate jeers). Stella with it's two power stations was west, up river.
Well - Victor Young happened to be staying B&B in Blaydon and was so touched by the moonlit vista across the Tyne one evening he was inspired to write a song about it -Stella by Starlight.
Sorry
Anonymousish.

Anonymous said...

I think the lyric for Young Victor's Stella was by some guy called Ned from Washington.
My favourite is old Geordie Gershwin's "Wor Luv's Not Gannin' Neewhere."
Talking about composers - "There is No Greater Love" - Isham Jones.

Anonymous said...

Thanks,Lance, for letting me hear the Rebecca Kilgore version. It's a catchy tune & very clever lyrics. I do like her voice & cannot think why I have never heard that song before.

Anonymous said...

Russell Davies did a brilliant profile of Ned Washington a few years back - on his Sunday Radio 2 series. I've never forgotten it. Great songs and some hilarious moments too. Disney stuff, C&W songs and incl 'Singin' in the Bathtub'
'When You Wish Upon a Star' - what a gem that is. But then - Rawhide!
Amazing guy.
Roly

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