Bebop Spoken There

Jools Holland (on his 2026 spring/summer tour): ''With the mighty [R&B] Orchestra, our wonderful boogie woogie singers, and the brilliant Joe Webb opening the shows [including Darlington Hippodrome, June 19], we're in for some very special evenings of music.'' The Northern Echo February 5, 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

18263 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 117 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Feb. 6), 17

From This Moment On ...

February

Sat 07: The Big Easy @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 07: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30-3:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 07: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. St Thomas & Bésame Mucho. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 07: Side Cafe Oᴙkestar @ Café Under the Spire, Gateshead. 6:30pm. Table reservations: 0191 477 3970.
Sat 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 08: Swing Tyne @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12 noon (doors). Donations. Swing dance taster class (12:30pm) + Hot Club de Heaton (live performance). Non dancers welcome.
Sun 08: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 09: Mark Williams Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 09: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 10: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 11: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington.. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 11: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 12: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 13: Noel Dennis Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm . £9.00. Dennis (trumpet, flugelhorn); Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 13: Joe Steels @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 13: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm.
Fri 13: Tom Remon & John Moriarty @ The Ship Isis, Silksworth Row, Sunderland SR1 3QJ. 7:00pm. £10.00 + £1.00 bf.

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

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Jazz Dance in Hong Kong

From Hong Kong Colin Aitchison, leader of the China Coast Jazzmen long-time resident band at Ned Kelly's Last Stand in Kowloon, sent me some photos of the Victoria Jazz Band taken at another 'joint' - Grappa's.
Colin informs me that they are a swingy band playing Basie, Buck Clayton style arrangements with a large young following. He didn't supply any names.
What struck me most was that people were actually dancing and enjoying themselves!
Isn't that the way it should be?
When people stopped dancing to jazz the fun element disappeared and it became a pin-dropping exclusive exercise exorcising the eclectic and often the excitement and the ecstasy from the experience.
Lance.

5 comments :

Anonymous said...

HI Lance,

Yes, it is great to see young people dancing once again to good music, the line up of the band is John Hubbard (trumpet - UK) Oliver (Tenor Sax)!!!! - France, Bayani Balderverona (Alto Sax) - Philippines, Peter Lally (Piano) - UK, Steve Mui (Bass) - Japan, Tom Cord (Drums) - UK.

They started off with Blues Back Stage, and they were already on the floor...it seems that out here in Asia, the young go for any type of jazz, be it Trad, Swing, Be-Bop, Jazz Latin or Jazz Rock, and I've just heard that there is a new Trad venue in Macau.

Cheers
Colin

Lance said...

I wonder if Peter Lally is related to that much maligned arranger Jimmy Lally?

Lance said...

Guitarist is Ken Sugawara - Japan.
Thanks Colin.

HK Swings said...

And, the large young following is Hong Kong Swings, a group promoting swing and lindy hop. We're at Grappa's every Wednesday night and conduct classes and socials. See www.hongkongswings.com for more information.

HK Swings said...

And, the large young following is Hong Kong Swings, a group promoting swing and lindy hop. We're at Grappa's every Wednesday night and conduct classes and socials. See www.hongkongswings.com for more information.

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