Bebop Spoken There

Ludovic Beier (Django Festival Allstars): ''Manouche means 'free man,' and gypsies have been travelers since they migrated west from India to Europe.'' (DownBeat March, 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

18402 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 266 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Mar. 31 ), 76

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

Thu 02: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: Musicians playing classical & orchestral music.
Thu 02: The Noel Dennis Band @ Prohibition Bar, Albert Road, Middlesbrough TS1 2RU. 7:00pm (doors). £10.84. Quartet plus special guest Zoë Gilby. Over 21s only.
Thu 02: Renegade Brass Band @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 02: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00. adv..
Thu 02: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 03: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 03: King Bees @ Billy Bootleggers, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). Free. Chicago blues.

Sat 04: Jake Leg Jug Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 04: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30-3:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 04: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Anthropology. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 04: Wild Women of Wylam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £10.00.
Sat 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 05: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 05: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free Quintet + guest Neil Brodie (trumpet).
Sun 05: Mark Williams & Tom Remon @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 05: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: Jazzmain @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00.

Mon 06: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 06: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 07: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 07: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Ben Lawrence (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Abbie Finn (drums).

Wed 08: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 08: Jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 08: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 08: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 08: Zoë Gilby & Johnny Hunter @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

The Jazz Esquires @ The Porthole - Not Smooth Sailing.

Mick Hill (tpt), Terry Dalton (tmb), Tony Winder (ten/clt), Roy Gibson (pno), Robin Douthwaite (gtr), Stan Nicholson (bs), Laurie Brown (dms). + George Laing (pno), Miles Watson (vcl), Teresa Armstrong (vcl).
Going to the Porthole, is always a bit of an adventure for us 'southerners' involving, as it does, a ferry journey across the Tyne from South Shields to North Shields. Today's mini-cruise - all seven minutes of it - foretold of things to come as my legs felt distinctly rubbery as I walked down the gangplank and onto the ferry landing which was bobbing around somewhat more than usual.
However, by the time I'd walked the short distance to the waterfront pub equillibrum was returned.
The Jazz Esquires were on form today blowing in the manner of the old Lyttleton Band - the one with Skidmore, Temperley and Coe - on "In A Mellotone", "Doggin' Around", "Big Swing Face", "East of the Sun", "You'd Be So Nice to Come Home to" and others of similar ilk.
Mick Hill had some Buck Clayton/Roy Eldridge inspired moments occasionally shooting for the stars and, at other times, delicately muted.
Trombone player Terry, he of the Dalton Dynasty, blew smooth with a rich Urbie Green-like tone whilst Tony Winder played good middle-period tenor.
Aided and abetted by a solid rhythm section that soloed well in their own right it made for an enjoyable afternoon.
During the interval George Laing, still recovering from his fall from a roof, limped exquisitely through "Tramp" and "Georgia" before Teresa sang some and Miles Watson hollored some blues choruses.
I left for the ferry with a spring in my step which, upon reaching the ferry landing turned once more into a rolling gait. I swear I thought the landing was going to capsize!
It was even worse on board as wind and wave tossed the ferry from port to starboard and back again. I half expected a band to strike up with "For Those In Peril on the Sea."
Amazingly the craft made it to South Shields and the passengers gave thanks for their deliverance.
Lance.

No comments :

Blog Archive