Bebop Spoken There

Ron Carter quoting Sonny Rollins: ''What we call jazz - that's keeping the world in equilibrium. I don't care what kind of music you like out here today. It all comes from jazz.'' (DownBeat August, 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

18799 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 663 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 12) 32.

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

August

Fri 14: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 14: John Settle Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. John Settle (vibes); Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 14: Bold Big Band @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £8.00 + bf.

Sat 15: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 15: Jake Leg Jug Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £16.26.

Sun 16: Vintage Explosion @ Cliffe Park, Roker, Sunderland SR6 8DB. 5:00-10:30pm. £44.00 (inc. bf).

Mon 17: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 20: Edson Angus Quartet @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 20: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Quality Night @ The Chilli

Dave Weisser (tpt/vcl), Darren Grainger (alto), Stu Collingwood (pno), Mark Williams (gtr), Barry Ashcroft (bs), Scott Adair (dms). + Debra Milne (vcl), Ian Forbes (dms).
It might have been thought that competition from the Champions League Final on TV would have affected turn out at the Chilli tonight but, surprisingly, audience numbers were above average and the band very much above average. This was a quality line-up.
Stu, no doubt inspired by last night's Robert Mitchell gig, played out of his skull and Mark, spurred on by Scotty, fired off some runs and phrases that most guitarists could only fantasise about.
Barry kept it all together on bass whilst Dave and Darren also had inspirational moments.
Nat Adderley's "Old Country" kicked things off, "Night in Tunisia", an Ashcroft original that I adore - "Mr Rascal", Brubeck's "In Your Own Sweet Way" (lovely tune - lovely title), "One by One", "Invitation" (a fine vocal by Dave) were just some of the delights savoured as the session rolled on including the Budivarian Debra M vocalising on that most challenging of tunes, Horace Silver's "Song For My Father" - solo blasts all round and big licks from Mark on this one.
The final "Revelation" saw Dave hollerin' like a Holy Roller with Ian Forbes laying down a shuffling backbeat that had the congregation seeking salvation. Dave should have unglued his Harmon (mute) for this one.
Un tres enjoyable session despite the hole in one of Dave's socks.
Lance (AKA 'Leprechaun' - not!).
PS: Who was the lady with the legs who won the raffle?

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