Bebop Spoken There

Ethan Hawke (starring as Lorenz Hart in Blue Moon): ''Larry [Lorenz] Hart would be so happy that his music and his words and his poetry are still alive.'' - The Northern Echo 27 November 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

18000 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 964 of them this year alone and, so far, 73 this month (Nov. 24).

From This Moment On ...

DECEMBER 2025

Sat 06: Sarah Spencer’s Transatlantic Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 06: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Minor Swing. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 06: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 06: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £3.76 (inc. bf).
Sat 06: Kaberry Big Band @ The Seahorse, Whitley Bay. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £15.00. (inc. hot buffet). ‘Christmas 1945’. Kaberry Big Band, formerly Vermont Big Band.
Sat 06: Smokin’ Spitfires @ Platform 1, Bedlington. 7:30pm. £6.00. Rhythm & blues.
Sat 06: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00. Xmas Party with buffet.
Sat 06: The Jive Aces @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 8:00pm. £22.00., £20.00.
Sat 06: Brass Fiesta @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 10:30pm. Free.

Sun 07: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Feat. special guest Donna Hewitt (sax, clarinet).
Sun 07: Finn-Keeble Group @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 07: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 07: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 07: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free. Trio + Ruth Lambert.
Sun 07: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 07: Jason Isaacs Big Band @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 5:15pm (4:00pm doors). £21.50 (inc. bf).
Sun 07: Paul Skerritt @ 3 Stories, High St. West, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 07: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Support set from Play More Jazz! course participants. Note earlier start.

Mon 08: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 09: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm

Wed 10: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 10: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 10: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 10: Mike Lindup Jazz Trio @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £26.50 (inc. bf). Lindup, Yolanda Charles (bass), John Sam (drums).
Wed 10: Bold Big Band @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £12.00.

Thu 11: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: West Coast (cool ) / Wordsearch (cool) Cool Jazz or ‘Cold’, ‘Cool’, ‘Hot’, ‘Warm’ in the title or lyrics.
Thu 11: George Robinson @ Prohibition Bar, Albert Road, Middlesbrough TS1 2RU. 7:00pm (doors). £5.42 (inc. bf). Vienna’s Voice charity evening featuring ’15 year old singing sensation the ‘Redcar Crooner’ George Robinson’. Over 35s only.
Thu 11: Paul Skerritt @ Chakh Dhoom, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Indian restaurant. Skerritt w. back tapes.
Thu 11: Ransom Van @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Thu 11: Down for the Count Swing Orchestra @ Middlesbrough Town Hall. 7:30pm. £37.70 (inc. bf). ‘Swing into Xmas’.

Fri 12: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 12: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 12: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 12: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 12: Milne Glendinning Band @ Northumberland Club, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £15.00. ‘Xmas Soiree’.
Fri 12: A Jazzy Xmas @ St Cuthbert’s Centre, Crook. 7:30pm. £15.00. Paul Edis (MD, piano); Jo Harrop (vocals); Vasilis Xenopoulos (tenor sax, soprano sax); Matthew Forster (alto sax, clarinet); Sue Ferris (flute, piccolo); Graham Hardy (trumpet, flugelhorn); Jason Holcomb (trombone);Emma Fisk (violin); Andy Champion (double bass); Matt MacKellar (drums). SOLD OUT!
Fri 12: Tony Hadley: Xmas Big Band Tour 2025 @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm.
Fri 12: Alexia Gardner @ The New Ship Inn, Newbiggin-by-the-Sea. 8:00pm. Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy, Abbie Finn.
Fri 12: Jive Aces: Swingin’ Xmas Show @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 8:00pm.

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

Friday, July 24, 2009

Madeleine Peyroux

For those whose tastes lean towards the classier vocalists there is a program on Madeleine Peyroux on BBC 4 tonight at 10:30 and repeated later in the evening/morning.
Should be worth switching on the telly for.
Lance.
Later...
(There were actually two programmes)
The first program began really well as Madeleine and her mother described their early days living in Paris - they'd moved to France when Madeleine was 13. Talking of nights spent busking in the Latin Quarter or on the Paris Metro you could almost inhale the smoke from a discarded Gauloise or taste the dregs of a bottle of Absinthe. Great stuff.
Afterwards, the setting changed to the States and it became a bit more show businessy. We didn't get any real insight into her disappearances and unpredictable behaviour. Nevertheless, it is worth watching - it's on BBC iplayer.
The second program is a live concert in L.A. that I'm listening to as I type. I'm beginning to notice how samey everything is. A change of tempo would help but somehow, each tune sounds like the one before.
Having said that, it is still very pleasant and - damn! I've accidentally switched off the iplayer! I'll hear the rest tomorrow - or will I? I think I know what it will be like.
Lance.

6 comments :

Hil said...

Oh! thank you so much for alerting me to this Lance.
I have loved listening to Madeleine since I first heard her on Parky's radio programme. Now have all her albums. Unfortunately the only time I saw her being interviewed she was so reserved and shy the interview was quite embarrassing. That was a few years ago perhaps she has now overcome her shyness?
One of my favourite songs she sings is 'Dance me to the end of love' This was written by Leonard Cohen in 1984.
It is also the title of one of my favourite prints by Jack Vettriano.
Vettriano’s 'Dance Me To The End Of Love' depicts a couple in the foreground of the painting in full evening dress, and in the background another two couples can be seen waltzing. This painting has all the classic Vettriano characteristics - evoking a theme of classy elegance in times gone by. It can be seen (by prior appointment) hanging in my home.

Hilary ...;o)

Lance said...

It can be seen (by you) in my home anytime without appointment.
I have a book of Vettriano paintings that are really brilliant. I know the so-called art experts hate him but I love his work. I saw an exhibition of his in London a few years back and I was knocked out.
Edward Hopper's work has the same effect on me.

Liz said...

Yes I agree Lance..too samey. As much as I love her voice, and particularly the number that Hil mentioned " Dance me to the end of love" I would have prefered more variation
Liz

Hil said...

You know something guys I totally agree with you. I actually gave up on it before the end of the concert, as I was starting to nod off. This is the lady who earlier in the day was a big fan of hers.
There was no light and shade was there? everything sounded the same, slightly boring after awhile Excitement was lacking..safe lovely songs played by good musicians. When I listen to good jazz I like to think to myself, "wow how are they going to get out of this one?" You know when the wheel sounds as if its just about to come off? but it doesn't ..lol...
Still will play her cd's from time to time tho.

Hil.

p.s.
With apologies to all the musicians reading my inarticulate explanations of what jazz means to me, a non musician...;o)

I can almost hear my ex saying to me "you dont know what your talking about"

Lance said...

Mike wouldn't say that to you, would he Hil?
And Liz, nice to have you back on board - hope you are well.

Val D said...

I loved Madeleine's programmes last night Lance, and I love singing 'Dance me to the end of love' and yep I've got the print of Jack's picture I love his work too, I love the fact he is a rough diamond, with a sensual side to his art.
Val.

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