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Bebop Spoken There

Kurt Elling: ''There's something to learn from every musician you play with''. (DownBeat, December 2024).

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

17630 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 904 of them this year alone and, so far, 49 this month (Dec. 20).

From This Moment On ...

December

Tue 24: Lindsay Hannon & Mark Williams @ Ernest, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 11:00am-1:00pm. Free.
Tue 24: Paul Skerritt @ Mambo Wine & Dine, South Shields. 1:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.

Wed 25: Wot? No jazz!

Thu 26: The Boneshakers @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. The 17th annual Boneshakers’ Shindig.

Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free. Business as usual!.
Fri 27: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 27: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sat 28: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 11:30am. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 28: Fri 20: Castillo Nuevo @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 28: Jude Murphy, Rich Herdman & Giles Strong @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 28: Ray Stubbs R & B All-Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Stepney Bank, Newcastle. 9:00pm. Free.

Sun 29: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 29: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 30: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Wheatsheaf, Benton Sq., Whitley Road, Palmersville NE12 9SU. Tel: 0191 266 8137. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 30: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.

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, February 02, 2010

Customs House Big Band. Open Rehearsal @ New Crown, South Shields.

It may have been a cold night outside but inside the New Crown Hotel plenty of heat was generated as witnessed by a small but select audience.
In the first half the band, under the direction of Peter Morgan, took apart, honed, polished and re-assembled Flight of the Foo Birds, I've Found A New Baby and Witchcraft, all of which to the casual listener seemed good the first time through but were all improved appreciably by the end.
In concert mode in the second half they kicked off with Five Foot Two Eyes Of Blue (sans banjo) A beautiful Here's That Rainy Day arranged by ex Kenton arranger Dee Barton with some lovely chords and a sonorous trombone chorus. The exciting Jazz Police by Gordon Goodwin gave the band a good workout as did the final number Nasty Cat which they dedicated to to the late, great Ralph Stobart a founder member of the band and brother to the better known Kathy.
Interspersed with all the excitement Ruth Lambert sang Mambo Italiano, My Heart Belongs To Daddy, and Summertime with some down-home plunger trumpet growls from Paul Gledhill. I can't compete with the purple prose of Lance in describing Ruth but I will say that for my money there ain't many better, and the same goes for the Customs House Big Band. Catch them at Blaydon Jazz Club this month or at the Customs House in March and as a bonus the next open rehearsal at the New Crown on March 2nd.
Miles Watson
p.s. Listening to the rhyming of Finnan Haddie with Daddy I wonder how many surreal rhymes you bloggers can come up with. Midnight Sun's alabaster palace with aurora borealis, springs to mind.

7 comments :

Roly said...

I like 'our veranda can command a - view of meadows green' from 'The folks who live on the hill'.
Hmmm - the art of the lyricist.
Roly

Lance said...

I like the line from "Ten Cents A Dance" that goes - 'Soldiers and Sailors and Bow-legged Tailors.'

Lance said...

Another rhyming couplet that caught my fancy was from a forgetable pop song - "I'll Never Fall In Love Again".
It went something like:
What do you get when you kiss a guy?
you get a lot of germs and catch pneumonia,
After you do he doesn't phone ya,
Oh I'll never fall in love again.

Liz said...

Loads of them, but I think every line of "Mountain Greenery" has to qualify
Liz

Lance said...

Here's another rhyme:
"Key of the door,
never been twenty one (ish) before..."
Happy Birthday Liz

Ruth said...

My fave has to be 'it's heaven when you...find romance on your menu' from What a difference day makes.
Ruth

Liz said...

And here's another...

"Strictly between us
you're cuter than Venus
and what's more you've got arms!"
Liz

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