Bebop Spoken There

David Bailey (photographer): ''When I was 16 I wanted to look like Chet Baker. He was my idol - him and James Dean.'' (Talking Pictures documentary : Four beats to the bar and no cheating April, 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

18445 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 309 of them this year alone and, so far this month (April 20 ) 43,

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

April

Wed 22: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 22: Nubiyan Twist @ Digital, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £28.75 (inc. bf).
Wed 22: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 22: Daniel John Martin w. Swing Manouche @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 7:30pm. Date, time & admission TBC.
Wed 22: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 23: FILM: Big Mama Thornton: I Can’t Be Anyone But Me @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. 6:15pm. Dir. Robert Clem (2025).
Thu 23: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 23: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 23: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra & Musicians Unlimited @ ARC, Stockton. 8:00pm. £19.00. inc. bf.

Fri 24: Noel Dennis Trio @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. Dennis, Mark Willams, Andy Champion.
Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Trio Grand @ Land of Oak & Iron, Winlaton. 6:00-9:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: Ben Vince + The Exu @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £14.33., £11.16, £8.00. A ‘jazz adjacent’ gig!
Fri 24: Daniel John Martin w. Swing Manouche @ The Ship Isis, Sunderland. 7:30pm. £13.20 (inc. bf).
Fri 24: TBC @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm.

Sat 25: Giles Strong Quartet @ Hindmarsh Hall, Alnmouth. 7:30pm.
Sat 25: Daniel John Martin w. Swing Manouche @ The Old Cinema Launderette, Durham. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £13.20 (inc. bf).
Sat 25: ‘Portrait in Evans’: Noa Levy & Alan Barnes w. Paul Edis Trio @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £24.00. Sage Two. ‘Portrait in Evans’. Levy, Barnes, Edis, Andy Champion & Steve Hanley.

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 26: Daniel John Martin w. Swing Manouche @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 26: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Ni Maxine + Nauta @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £17.51., £14.33., £11.16.
Sun 26: Joe Steels @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. Free (donations direct to the musicians). Joe Steels & Friends.
Sun 26: C.A.L.I.E @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £16.00., £14.00., £7.00.

Mon 27: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 27: House of Blues @ the Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £7.00., £5.00. advance. A student-led jazz session. ‘House of Blues’ is, perhaps, a misnomer.
Mon 27: Littlewood Trio @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £10.00 + bf, £7.00. + bf.

Tue 28: Long/Remon/Zilker @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Tom Remon plays Irish folk!

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Susannah McCorkle

Yesterday, May 19, marked the 8th anniversary of the death of Susannah McCorkle, one of my favourite singers. A manic depressive, Susannah killed herself by jumping from a window in New York.
She was 55.
Susannah McCorkle had a unique voice that first came to my attention when I, literally, stumbled over an LP of hers in a Drury Lane charity shop. The record was an album entitled "The Quality of Mercer" that, after picking myself up, I bought for 50p. It was the first of many LPs and CDs that I amassed and cherished. Recorded in London, in 1977, with a band that included Danny Moss, Digby and her partner to be (briefly) Keith Ingham she interprets the Johnny Mercer songs as good as anyone ever did. Check out her almost laconic rendition of "This Time The Dream's On Me" and other Susannah gems on YouTube. Here there is a frustrating interview with vocal snippets. I say frustrating because the actual interview is excellent giving an insight into her musical awareness but the music itself suffers from abysmal recording. Never mind it is worth it for the, I believe, only known interview. I have a vague recollection that Susannah did some gigs in Newcastle during the 1970s at, possibly, "Change Is" or maybe even the New Orleans Club. Anyone able to confirm this?
Lance.
PS: My Ideal is just that! She'd be So Easy To Love.
at

6 comments :

Russell said...

Hi Lance

A few years ago the Vermont Hotel ran a short - lived series of jazz cabaret evenings. Annie Ross appeared, as did, I think, Elaine Delmar. One or two others performed over the weeks. I wonder was Susannah McCorkle one of them ? The local backing was from the likes of Billy Harper and possibly Syd Warren.

Russell

Wednesday, May 20, 2009 4:29:00 pm
Lance said...

At the time I'm thinking of - early/mid 70s I don't think the Vermont had been built.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009 4:45:00 pm
Roly said...

Agreed she had a very warm, sincere vocal style. I have that Mercer tribute album - it's excellent. I remember her being very popular around that time, getting very established in the UK as well as internationally. A bit like Rebecca Kilgore now I think. Can't recall any local gigs though. Very sad, her demise.
Roly

Wednesday, May 20, 2009 6:57:00 pm
Liz said...

What a truly lovely natural voice she had, I had never heard of her until Lance made me aware some time ago.
How tragic that her life was so tormented & short.
Liz

Thursday, May 21, 2009 8:43:00 am
Hil said...

oh! how wonderful...

Off now to buy a cd for a certain young ladies forthcoming birthday.
Dont tell her tho, coz its a birthday secret...;o)

Hil x

Friday, May 22, 2009 10:36:00 am
Lance said...

Reading Chris Yates'new book - "Blue Horizons" he mentions a concert by Dick Sudhalter that had Susannah on vocals. I wonder if this was the gig I attended at the Peoples Theatre? If so I heard one of my favourite singers and didn't realise it!
Hang your head in shame Lance.

Wednesday, September 23, 2009 11:30:00 am

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