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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.

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).

Sat 12: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 12: Rob Heron & the Tea Pad Orchestra + House of the Black Gardenia + King Bees @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 6:30pm (doors). £18.00.
Sat 12: Bright Street Big Band @ Washington Arts Centre. 6:30pm. £12.00. Event includes swing dance taster session, DJ dance session. Bright Street Big Band on stage 7:30-8:15pm & 8:45-9:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Sat 12: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 12: Imelda May @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £42.20. SOLD OUT!
Sat 12: Papa G’s Troves @ 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.
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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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