Bebop Spoken There

Emma Rawicz: "In a couple of years I've gone from being a normal university student to suddenly being on international stages." DownBeat January 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

18219 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 73 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 24), 73

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Fri 30: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 30: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 30: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 30: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 30: Pete Roth Trio @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Feat. Bill Bruford.
Fri 30: Jive Aces @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm.
Fri 30: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Northern Edge Coffee, Silver St., Berwick. 7:00pm.
Fri 30: Dan Coulthurst Quintet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £10.00 + £1.00. bf (www.wegottickets.com). Coulthurst (trumpet); Joel Steadman (bass clarinet, flute); Nico Widdowson (piano); Fergus Quill (double bass); Theo Goss (drums).

Sat 31: Darling Dollies @ St George’s Church, Jesmond, Newcastle. 3:00pm. £10.00. Vocal trio.
Sat 31: Brass Fiesta @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 10:30pm. Free.

FEBRUARY 2026

Sun 01: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 01: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Quintet + guest Bill Watson (trumpet, flugelhorn).
Sun 01: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: Annie & the Caldwells @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £25.00. adv. Gospel/soul.
Sun 01: Jive Aces @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm.
Sun 01: Olly Styles Experience + Jenny Baker @ the Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 02: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 02: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 03: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 03: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 04: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 04: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 05: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject:Times of the Day & Trios.
Thu 05: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Special guest Emma Wilson.
Thu 05: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

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

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Maine Street Jazzmen @ Rosie Malone's South Shields.

Herbie Hudson (tmb/hca/vcl), Derek Fleck (clt), Malcolm Armstrong (pno), Alan Rudd (bs), Tommy Graham (dms), Olive Rudd (vcl) + Peter ? (tpt).
There couldn't have been a greater contrast to last night at the Chilli yet the Monk influence was still there. Perhaps it came in with me. During "Royal Garden Blues", Derek slipped in a quote from "Blue Monk" that did not sound out of place.
It was the usual stomping good afternoon with the usual happy crowd. A trumpet man - Peter - sat in for "That's A Plenty" "Ain't Misbehavin'", "Bill Bailey" and "Georgia on my Mind". He may have been auditioning. Such is the dearth of trad trumpet players these days that if you are competent enough to open the case you're in with a shout.
Again, Malcolm Armstrong did the barrelhouse proud with his two-fisted approach. The complete opposite to young Harley yet equally effective in it's own right.
Derek, facile as ever, delivered the goods ably supported by bass and drums.
Our favourite Thursday afternoon girl Olive was in good voice pushing out "Some of These Days" with more than a hint of Sophie Tucker. She also organised a backing trio with her cohorts during Herbie's vocal rendition of "Baby Doll" (You called me baby doll a year ago - 'baby doll, baby doll, baby doll'.)
Herbie wailed like an Ellingtonian slider on "Beale Street Blues", duetted on the 'do-wah-do-wahs' with Olive during "It Don't Mean a Thing", bent it like Bauer (Chris) on "Some of These Days" and went into a dance when Armstrong shouted "Feet!" (shades of the River City Jazzmen).
It was a fun afternoon with the crowd in good spirits to the extent that, after a rousing "Bill Bailey" someone shouted 'Play something lively'. They don't come much livelier than that!
In between tunes I chatted to a guy called Leo. Didn't catch his second name but I think it began with a K! He's a tenor sax man (Selmer Mark 6 no less) and a former member of the Gene Mayo band that played at Sunderland Rink Ballroom back in the 1960s. The late Bobby Carr was also in that band. Leo and I proved lucky for each other - I won a prize in the raffle as did his lady.
Lance.

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