Bebop Spoken There

Christian McBride: ''I believe we are living in a historically embarrassing moment in American history.'' - Downbeat December 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

18083 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 1047 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Dec. 14), 61.

From This Moment On ...

DECEMBER 2025

Sun 21: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. ‘Xmas Swingalong’. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 21: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00-5:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ o2 City Hall, Newcastle. 6:00pm. £35.80., £33.25., £31.00.
Sun 21: The Globe Xmas Party @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Live music.
Sun 21: Tweed River Jazz Band @ The Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:30pm. Free.

Mon 22: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 23: Paul Skerritt @ Chakh Dhoom, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Indian restaurant. Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Wed 24: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 24: Alexia Gardner @ The Townhouse, Bridge St., Morpeth. 1:30-4:30pm. ‘The A Capella Sessions’. Gardner, Paula Gardner, Alexia Hope Gardner Diamany.
Wed 24: Paul Skerritt @ Mambo Wine & Dine, South Shields. 1:30pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Thu 25: Alexia Gardner @ The Townhouse, Bridge St., Morpeth. 1:30-4:00pm. ‘All About the Bass Sessions’. Alexia Gardner, Paula Gardner, Jude Murphy.

Fri 26: ???

Sat 27: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. CANCELLED!
Sat 27: Leeds City Stompers @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free.

Sun 28: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 28: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 28: Paul Skerritt @ 3 Stories, High St. West, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 28: The Society Quartet @ Hilton Garden Inn, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Jason Holcomb & co.

Mon 29: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 30: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £8.00., £7.00. adv.

Wed 31: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 31: Lil Miss Mary & the Mr Rights Trio @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. ‘Early NYE Bash’. Rockabilly, rhythm & blues.
Wed 31: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. ‘Midnight in Manhattan’ NYE party. £49.46 (inc. bf) & £29.38 (inc. bf).

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
at

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

Tuesday, March 03, 2009 6:21:00 pm
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!

Tuesday, March 03, 2009 7:13:00 pm
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.

Tuesday, March 03, 2009 7:50:00 pm
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.

Wednesday, March 04, 2009 1:57:00 pm
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.

Wednesday, March 04, 2009 2:42:00 pm
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

Wednesday, March 04, 2009 3:14:00 pm

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