Bebop Spoken There

Gary Bartz: ''Music is nature's gift to man. It's the only religion. We're living in a terrible era, but what a beautiful thing music is. Look how it brings us together like religion is supposed to; and with no language barriers.'' (Jazzwise September, 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

18918 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 782 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Sept. 18.) 61.

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

September.

Mon 28: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 29: Tenderly: The Life & Times of Nat ‘King’ Cole @ Hepscott Parish Hall. 7:30pm. . £15.00., £12.00. (Early Bird advance ticket), £10.00. Off-Broadway production feat. Duane Forrest.
Tue 29: Red Kites Jazz @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 30: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 30: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 30: Tenderly: The Life & Times of Nat ‘King’ Cole @ The Hearth, Horsley. 7:30pm. £15.00., £12.00. (Early Bird advance ticket), £10.00. Off-Broadway production feat. Duane Forrest.
Wed 30: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 30: New Ways of Moving in the Counterworlds + Juliana Day & Manon McCoy + Helen Anahita Wilson @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. A BBC Introducing-Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.

October

Thu 01: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 01: Rivkala @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 01: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 01: Hot Club de Heaton @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free (donations).
Thu 01: The Scenic Route @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free.

Fri 02: Alison Gill + Markrokosmos @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music (NFOJAIM).
Fri 02: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 02: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 02: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 02: Gilby & Hunter + Andy Champion @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 6:00pm. NFOJAIM.
Fri 02: Abbie Finn Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. The Abbie Finn Trio augmented by Dean Stockdale (piano).
Fri 02: Alexia Gardner Trio @ Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7:30pm. £15.00.
Fri 02: Zoe Rahman Trio @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 8:00pm. NFOJAIM. SOLD OUT!

Sat 03: New Orleans Ragtime Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club. Gavin Lee & co.
Sat 03: Anemone Quartet + Jeepe Zeeburg @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. NFOJAIM.
Sat 03: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Caravan. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 03: Struggle Buggy @ The Peacock, Sunderland. 6:00pm. Free. Excellent blues band.
Sat 03: Bright Street Big Band @ Washington Arts Centre. 6:30pm. £12.50 (inc. bf). Two sets: 7:30-8:15pm & 8:45-9:30pm. ‘Swing Band Dance Night’.
Sat 03: Olie Brice Quartet + Alexander Hawkins + Harper Trio @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 7:00pm. NFOJAIM.
Sat 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 04: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Heugh Battery, Hartlepool. 11:00am-12 noon & 1:00-2:00pm.
Sun 04: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 04: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Quintet w. special guest Bill Watson (trumpet).
Sun 04: Sax Choir w. Rachel Musson @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 04: Rivkala + Ceitidh Mac + Thatcher & Knowles @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:30pm. A NFOJAIM event.
Sun 04: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free. RESCHEDULED from September 27.
Sun 04: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 04: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £3.00.

Wednesday, September 01, 2010

A Funny Valentine by Mike Maran. Chet Baker lives and dies at Live Theatre, Newcastle

Mike Maran (narrator/playwright), Colin Steele (tpt), Robert Pettigrew (pno). I saw this same show at Darlington Arts Centre last year – I loved it then and, I prophetically stated that it was ideal for a venue such as Live Theatre. It was – and I think that the near full house this Live Theatre/Jazz North East co-promotion attracted would agree with me! It's a tale of tragedy and pathos yet with a touch of humour. There have been many books written about Chet Baker – this takes the meat out of them all and serves it up well done. You don't have to be a jazzer – although it helps – to enjoy it. The truth is that it is there to be savoured and absorbed even if you've never heard or heard of Chet Baker. Narrator Mike Maran has honed his role to perfection. The pace and precision with which the words and the actions entwine with the music is on a par with the way, in real life, the music of Chet and Gerry Mulligan complemented each other or Colin Steele (left) and Robert Pettigrew (right) did tonight. Close your eyes – you're listening to Chet. Open them and it's Colin. The cool, slight edge to his tone, is magical in its clonic likeness. Behind Colin, Robert Pettigrew played some magical fill-ins. Not just comping but counter melodies that added colour to the ofttimes bleak story line. I asked Robert, afterwards at the bar, why he wasn't better known in the jazz world. He confessed that, whilst jazz is his preferred music, most of his work is in theatre land so – there you go! To sum up, if you weren't there tonight, I feel a little sad for you. However, all is not lost – My Funny Valentine is being performed at the Scarborough Jazz Festival on Sunday September 26 at 7:00pm. Lance.
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4 comments :

Hil said...

I thought it a truly memorable evening. The music was so beautiful and thoughtfully performed it brought a tear to my eye on more than one occasion.

If you get the opportunity to see "My Funny Valentine" please do so.

A great big thank you to "Live Theatre" and Paul Bream, for allowing us lucky, fortunate people the privilege of sharing this magical experience.

P.S. I adore Italy and was amazed to hear the name of Lucca,(one of the places Chet was imprisoned) a walled city in Tuscany which I visited 2 yrs ago (on my own) Its a beautiful place which I fell immediately in love with.
oh! Hilary what a silly old sentimental fool you are.:o)

Thursday, September 02, 2010 9:16:00 am
cptfinch said...

loved it. The narrator was funny and entertaining. I learned more about the great Chet from this.

Thursday, September 02, 2010 9:40:00 am
Ann Alex said...

Lance Liddle, Theatre Critic (better than some of them in the newspapers!) Ann Alex

Thursday, September 02, 2010 11:09:00 pm
Lance said...

Nice comment Hilary - I know what you mean about the emotional aspect of the music.
Just one point though and I am sure Paul Bream will concur. The production was presented by Jazz North East (a team of which PB is a part of) and Live Theatre.

Thank you Ann - may I quote you on my CV when I send it off to The Sunday Times?

Friday, September 03, 2010 10:24:00 pm

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