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 Stedman (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

Monday, November 09, 2009

Margaret's Memorabilia

Margaret Barnes came up with some memorabilia tonight. 1) 1956 Stan Kenton program. Stan's first tour of the UK. 1a) Miles has provided this insight into how hard these guys worked with this schedule of the '52 Kenton band. I wonder if anyone has a 1953 program of the band's visit to Dublin? ----- 2) In this photo Humph is, we assume, giving the girl a trumpet lesson... CAN ANYONE IDENTIFY HER? ----- 3) This one could be in a marquee or on a boat but with a grand piano it probably wasn't a riverboat shuffle. CAN ANYONE IDENTIFY THE BASS AND PIANO PLAYER? ----- 4) Finally - can anyone tell me about this circa late '50s/early '60s group? Comments appreciated. Lance.

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6 comments :

Val said...

the guy on the right of picture 4 looks like a young Bruce Welsh to me Lance?

Tuesday, November 10, 2009 10:57:00 am
Hil said...

I wonder if its a band who used to do the Majestic Ballroom (on Westgate Rd)? They were called the Gamblers.
I used to go there to a under 18's hop on a Saturday lunchtime.
A certain band from Liverpool had made their 1st recording of a song "Love me Do"...(I think???) they appeared there but my friend and I liked the Gamblers best....;o)

Tuesday, November 10, 2009 10:58:00 am
Miles said...

I can't identify the girl but the marquee reminds me of a barbecue that Northumberland Scouts ran at Gosforth Park Racecourse in I think 1966/7. When Humph played, the band included Jimmy Skidmore and Kathy Stobart. It chucked it down all day and Manfred Mann was on at the Mayfair so hardly anybody turned up and they lost money.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009 8:45:00 pm
Adrian Tilbrook said...

Gordon Beck - Appleby Jazz Fest

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Wednesday, November 11, 2009 1:23:00 pm
Lance said...

Hil's suggestion has been confirmed by George Gray as The Gamblers who went on to back Billy Fury.
Trumpet is Tony Damond, Tenor sax, Ken Brady, Bass guitar is Alan Sanderson and the drummer is Andy Mack'
Thank you George.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009 1:41:00 pm
Lance said...

Thanks Adrian. With that information I have discovered that the bass player is Jeremy Brown. No doubt the missing drummer was Tony Levin.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009 4:11:00 pm

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