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!

Friday, November 27, 2009

Ruth Lambert & Broadway Melody @ The Fell.

Iain MacAulay (tmb/tpt/vcl), Derek Fleck (ten/clt), Brian Chester (pno), John Carstairs Hallam (bs), Stevie Doyle (dms), Ruth Lambert (vcl).
This was a different Ruth to the one we know and love who recently took the Saville by storm at her recent CD launch. This was a woman in search of her roots and finding them.
There were times when I thought of Lee Wiley or Connie Boswell as Ruth reached back in time to songs like "Mean To Me", "Stormy Weather", "Don't Get Around Much Anymore", "All of Me", "Sunnyside of the Street" and others from the mauve decade.
Despite no proper rehearsal, Broadway Melody coped admirably with the changes of key necessary to accomodate the singer and soloed effectively with Iain having a particularly lush(er as in Don) sound. Derek was totally in period with his clarinet and tenor solos - a big round tone on the latter instrument.
On piano, Brian bore the brunt of the accompanying chores and didn't put a noticeable finger wrong - at times his keyboard voicings were quite imaginative particularly on "Santa Baby".
I've loved this song since I first heard Eartha sing it and, more recently, Caroline Irwin. Ruth's version is a worthy addition.
However, for me, the highlight was - wait for it 'cos you're never gonna believe it! - "Jingle Bells". Ruth told me later that she FORGOT THE WORDS! Louis said the same when he invented scat - whatever, in both cases the rest is history. Ruth sang an improvised chorus that almost re-wrote the song. Put it out on record Ruth and it will top the Xmas (jazz) charts!
Talking discs, this is the first gig I've ever been to where the artist hasn't arrived with a box of CD's! Ruth has two out yet ne'er a word crossed her lips and "S'wonderful" and "Taking a Chance on Love" are on them!
The chanteuse can be heard again at The Cherry Tree Restaurant on Monday with trio backing and at a church hall in Cleadon on Tuesday with the Custom's House Big Band.
Superb night.
Lance.
PS: Omitted to mention Stevie Doyle depping on drums who kept it tight and the ever reliable John Carstairs Hallam who aided and abetted him in this mission. Appreciated.
PPS: Talking of the Customs House Band, best wishes to guitarist Roy Willis, hospitalised yesterday.
at

1 comment :

Russell said...

Hi Lance

Yes, a really good night and Jazz at the Fell's new website is a welcome addition to the region's burgeoning portfolio of jazz what's on info.

Russell

Saturday, November 28, 2009 2:08:00 pm

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