Bebop Spoken There

Christian McBride: ''I believe we are living in a historically embarrassing moment in American history.'' - Downbeat December 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

18083 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 1047 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Dec. 14), 61.

From This Moment On ...

DECEMBER 2025

Sun 21: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. ‘Xmas Swingalong’. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 21: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00-5:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ o2 City Hall, Newcastle. 6:00pm. £35.80., £33.25., £31.00.
Sun 21: The Globe Xmas Party @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Live music.
Sun 21: Tweed River Jazz Band @ The Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:30pm. Free.

Mon 22: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 23: Paul Skerritt @ Chakh Dhoom, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Indian restaurant. Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Wed 24: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 24: Alexia Gardner @ The Townhouse, Bridge St., Morpeth. 1:30-4:30pm. ‘The A Capella Sessions’. Gardner, Paula Gardner, Alexia Hope Gardner Diamany.
Wed 24: Paul Skerritt @ Mambo Wine & Dine, South Shields. 1:30pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Thu 25: Alexia Gardner @ The Townhouse, Bridge St., Morpeth. 1:30-4:00pm. ‘All About the Bass Sessions’. Alexia Gardner, Paula Gardner, Jude Murphy.

Fri 26: ???

Sat 27: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. CANCELLED!
Sat 27: Leeds City Stompers @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free.

Sun 28: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 28: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 28: Paul Skerritt @ 3 Stories, High St. West, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 28: The Society Quartet @ Hilton Garden Inn, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Jason Holcomb & co.

Mon 29: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 30: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £8.00., £7.00. adv.

Wed 31: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 31: Lil Miss Mary & the Mr Rights Trio @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. ‘Early NYE Bash’. Rockabilly, rhythm & blues.
Wed 31: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. ‘Midnight in Manhattan’ NYE party. £49.46 (inc. bf) & £29.38 (inc. 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

Friday, November 19, 2010

Gerry Richardson's Big Idea @ Corner House, Newcastle. Thursday 18th November

Gerry Richardson's Big Idea: Gerry Richardson (Hammond), Rod Sinclair (guitar), Graeme Hare (drums), Garry Linsley (alto saxophone), Stuart Johnson (tenor & soprano saxophones), Sue Ferris (tenor & baritone saxophones, flute), Mark Webb (trumpet & flugel horn), Dave Hignett (trumpet & flugel horn), Keith Norris (trombone) Hammond maestro Gerry Richardson reconvened Big Idea at the refurbished, if not salubrious, Corner House Hotel. Guitarist Rod Sinclair was on top form and drum dep Graeme Hare was so good that the fixture that is Paul Smith wasn't missed at all!
Stone Church opened proceedings. Blues for Big Red was a feature number for Sinclair (Rod was once upon a time a redhead) and Another Dark One revealed Hare's excellent sight-reading skills as he negotiated a convoluted drum 'n bass pattern with Stuart Johnson's soprano playing setting the standard.
Richardson's 'greatest hit' (aka African Sunset) was just about guaranteed to be in the set and Arturo Sandoval, Michel Camilo and Paquito D'Rivera were honoured with a cracking Autumn in the Barrio (no surprise then that the trumpets - Hignett and Webb - were to the fore). Richardson's late night saloon bar tune Think I'll Lay Waste to Myself Tonight is made for the bandleader's down beat Mose Allison style delivery - this was GR at his vocal best. Take the Tee Train, a Richardson classic, closed out the first set.
The interval meant a trip to the bar. There was a queue a mile long. It was the band, they had beaten me to it! Refuelled (eventually), the second set provided yet more highlights including Big Jazz Club in the Sky and Gil Scott Heron's Lady Day and John Coltrane. The latter number is a favourite of this reviewer. It exemplifies the very spirit of Big Idea.
Two sets of good tunes with plenty of solo opportunities for all - altoist Garry Linsley knows the material inside out, Keith Norris had a blast and the diminuitive Sue Ferris yet again produced a big sound on tenor, muscular baritone and free-flowing flute. A good session.
The versatile Rod Sinclair can be heard in another context on Sunday evening with fellow guitarist James Birkett at the Bridge Hotel as they play the music of the likes of Charlie Christian, Carl Kress and Dick McDonaugh. Russell
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