Bebop Spoken There

Ron Carter quoting Sonny Rollins: ''What we call jazz - that's keeping the world in equilibrium. I don't care what kind of music you like out here today. It all comes from jazz.'' (DownBeat August, 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

18818 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 682 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 20) 51.

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

August

Wed 26: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 26: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 26: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 27: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 27: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 27: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Thu 27: 58 Jazz Collective @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Stranton, Hartlepool. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 27: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00.

Fri 28: Graham Hardy Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 28: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 28: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 28: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.

Sat 29: Brian Jackson @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 8:30pm (doors). £32.00.

Sun 30: Musicians Unlimited @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: Tango Jazz Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 31: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

September.

Tue 01: Customs House Big Band @ Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 01: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, John Hirst.

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Christmas in the Jazz Café

John Rowland (ten), Pete Gilligan (pno), Stu Findon (bs), Fiona Littlewood (vcl).
I arrived at Jazz Café armed with shopping (Jazz Journal and Down Beat) and it looked as though reading them would be the extent of today's jazz content at the Pink Lane Jazzerie - although Keith did spin some nice Lionel Hampton. "Jazz on the marimba remarked one 'knowledgeable' youth!"
Eventually, John Rowland arrived and, together with Pete the Piano, they played All Blues. It was good.
Stu and Fiona showed and with them a goodly throng who appreciated Fi's renditions of Softly As In A Morning Sunrise, Nearness of You, Now's The Time and Four to mention but some.
John Rowland had impressive Ike Quebec moments on tenor and Pete's percussive piano made up for the lack of a drummer. On bass Stu Findon kept it on the straight and not so narrow.
It was a good afternoon with mince pies and other delicacies handed round by mein host.
Merry Xmas Keith.
To add to the ambience my old friend Judith showed.
The ambience disappeared outside when we discovered the dreaded snow had returned!
Still it was a good afternoon and what's a little snow anyway amongst friends?
Lance.

4 comments :

Anonymous said...

Hi Lance, is the sunday afternoon jam on next week?

Lance said...

I have it on authority (Pete Gilligan) that it is.

Anonymous said...

Ok, thank you very much. It's my girlfriend's 18th, so it'll be her first time there and she's very much looking forward to it.

Lance said...

Wish her many happy returns from me.

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