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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

17945 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 266 of them this year alone and, so far, 22 this month (April 8).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Sun 13: Daniel John Martin with Swing Manouche @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 13: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 13: Hejira: A Celebration of Joni Mitchell @ Wylam Brewery, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £22.50.
Sun 13: Wilkinson/Edwards/Noble + Chojnacki @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £13.20., £11.00. JNE.

Mon 14: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 14: Zoë Gilby Quintet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 15: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 16: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 16: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 16: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED!

Thu 17: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Only Six Standards.
Thu 17: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 18: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 18: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 18: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.

Fri 18: Alexia Gardner @ Fika Gallery, Oldgate, Morpeth NE61 1LT. 7:00pm. Trio (Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy).RESCHEDULED FOR JUNE 13

Fri 18: Sarah Jane Morris & Tony Remy: The Sisterhood @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £25.00.

Sat 19: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-3:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 19: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 19: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

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

Saturday, April 18, 2009

The Jazz Baroness - BBC4

The long awaited documentary on the relationship between Monk and the Baroness Pannonica de Koengiswarter (nee Rothschild) provided fascinating viewing yet, at the end of the day, are we any the wiser? We know a little more about the lady, a little less about Mrs Monk, the shadowy figure of Nellie who seemingly accepted her husband's relationship with the Baroness. Was it as purely platonic as has been suggested? These are questions that will probably be never answered and, in my opinion, not important. What is important is the patronage she gave to Monk and other musicians without which a lot of great music may have never been created. We could do with someone like her today - particulary on Tyneside. Lance. PS: I've yet to watch the Jazz 625 Monk and Blakey programmes. Tonight there's Bird, Trane and Chet. Why can't they spread it out? You can get too much of a good thing.
at

3 comments :

Liz said...

I really enjoyed that programme, she fascinated me, such an unlikely mix - the Baroness & Monk - and yet, didn't it come over time & time again how loved & respected she was with the musicians? and I don't think it was just her money.. I thought Helen Mirren did a good job as the voice of the Baroness, she got that cut glass accent just right eg."Orf" instead of "off." Loved Monk's "Loverman (oh where can you be)"

Saturday, April 18, 2009 7:28:00 pm
Lance said...

I loved the comment by Chico Hamilton. "The only choice for me was to be either a Pimp or a Musician."
He compromised and became a drummer!

Saturday, April 18, 2009 8:03:00 pm
John T said...

Its a bit like jazz festivals and buses- too many at once and can you afford them. I now have a bus pass and I see its £70 for Whitley Bay Jazz Fest this year.There is a bus from Ashington to the Village hotel area - I think. You can easily get jazzed out so two concerts a month is about right for me. No more free bus pass trips to the town for the Monday lunchtime sessions though.


The Jazz Baroness programme was really enthralling. This was the first programme about Monk I had ever seen and I did not realise he had such a varied pad to his name. All numbers I have grown to like over the years, having started as a traddie. After watching this I feel I now have a very personal relationship with Monk's story. I had a bad period of depression about 15 years ago and went through the electro therapy treatment, which was just coming back into fashion then. It alone helped me turn my life around.The only after effect for me was that I became even more addicted to jazz!!

Sunday, April 19, 2009 1:12:00 pm

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