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Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: '' A Love Supreme coincided with my search for meaning in life". (DownBeat, March 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

17873 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 194 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (March 14).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30pm-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 22: Swamp Stomp String Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Sat 22: Rivkala @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sun 23: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 23: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Mississippi MacDonald @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. Blues.
Sun 23: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: The Great Deceivers @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Tom Atkinson & co play King Crimson (1969-1974). Atkinson (guitar); Josh Bentham (alto sax); Stu Dawson (bass); Jeff Armstrong (drums).

Mon 24: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 24: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 25: Fred Wesley & the New JB’s @ The Cluny. 7:30pm (doors). £27.50. POSTPONED! New date Wednesday 26 November.

Wed 26: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 26: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 26: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 27: Hannabiell & Midnight Blue @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 27: Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Superb blues duo.

Fri 28: Giles Strong Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00 SOLD OUT!.
Fri 28: Spilt Milk @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £8.00.
Fri 28: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Old Cinema Laundrette, Durham. 7:45pm.
Fri 28: Sue Ferris Quintet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £10.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 28: Mostly Moonlight @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Fri 28: Juliana Day & Manon McCoy @ Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00.; £10.00. advance. JNE.

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

Tuesday, December 08, 2009

Hyem Jazz Club

Maureen Hall (vcl), Mac Rae (clt/vcl), Iain MacAulay (tmb/tpt/vcl), Mac Smith (pno), John Robinson (bs), Jim McKeown (dms). + Teresa Armstrong (vcl).
Hyem, formularly the Echo Bar on Chilli Road, opened its doors as a jazz venue tonight - don't ask me what the name means - featuring a spirited performance by Maureen Hall and Rendezvous Jazz.
With Mac Rae depping for Barry Soulsby on clarinet the music was very much in the New Orleans tradition although trombonist and part-time trumpet player Iain blew some Dorsey/Teagarden sounding trombone that belonged to a later era. His trumpet playing was gentle and quite mellow and he sang with some humour manipulating the lyrics of "I Want A Little Girl" to good effect.
Rendezvous Jazz get the right sound for what they do; Mac Smith's punchy piano-playing is very enjoyable and conducive to foot-tapping. Close your eyes and you could be in the Crescent City (or at least the Crescent Club).
The band had brought along a few followers from the coast which helped to fill out the sparse audience and they showed their approval.
As well as blowing some strident clarinet on "Rosetta", "Canal Street Blues" and "St. Louis Blues" Mac Rae sang a few but it was Maureen herself who took the vocal kudos with her take on an assortment of classic jazz standards.
That feisty lady Teresa Armstrong also chipped in with "Lonesome Road".
Circumstances decreed that I left during the second half and thus missed the big surprize ending that was promised. No doubt all will be revealed by Russell.
It's a promising start for the club and we wish promoter Atholl Stewart well in this venture.
We will do our best to promote it as indeed we try to support all jazz gigs - with or without acknowledgement - next week has sax/clarinet player Gavin Lee as the featured artist.
Lance.

1 comment :

Robert Laing said...

I'm guessing about the name of this venue, but could "hyem" , possible pronounced "yem" be the geordie dialect for "home" ? As in "I'm gannin' hyem" (I'm going home). I no longer have my Mike Neville/George House book - How To Larn Yersel Geordie - so it might have to remain a guess.

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