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

18767 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 631 of them this year alone and, so far this month (July 31) 95.

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 05: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 05: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 05: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 06: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 06: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 06: Wild Women of Wylam @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 06: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Feat. guest Zoë Gilby.
Thu 06: 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 06: Bridget Metcalfe Sextet @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 07: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 07: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.

Sat 08: ???

Sun 09: 58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00-3:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Ropner Park, Stockton. 2:00-4:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: The Gambling Janes @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 10: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.Free.

Tue 11: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Melody Maker Update

I've been perusing at length Colin Aitchison's on-line collection of vintage Melody Makers from the 40's and 50's when the MM really was the musician's bible - a bit like Bebop Spoken Here today (I wish!). So far Colin has posted the following complete issues - including the small ads - (lead story cited): 15/3/41 - Ken 'Snakehips' Johnson killed in the blitz. 26/4/41 - Al Bowlly killed in the blitz. 11/4/42 - Death of Charlie Christian. 11/7/42 - Death of Bunny Berigan. 21/8/43 - Tommy Dorsey sacks his whole band plus, inside, Gene Krupa jailed on drug offences. 3/1/53 - Fletcher Henderson dies. 23/5/53 - Death of Django. 2/1/54 - Rosemary Clooney to broadcast with the BBC Showband. This is a trip down memory lane for those of a certain age and a history lesson for younger readers. Look out for more. Lance. PS: Some pages didn't enlarge for me.
at

3 comments :

Anonymous said...

The MMs from the 40s & 50s are great. Fascinating to read the contemporary report of Django's death.
Any chance that the MM editions from the 60s will also go on-line?

JC

Thursday, December 23, 2010 12:46:00 pm
Lance said...

That is up to Colin although I would guess that it is unlikely as the jazz content began to be filtered out with the advent of rock and roll - unfortunately.

Thursday, December 23, 2010 1:24:00 pm
Anonymous said...

Hi Guys,
Thanks for your comments, I hope this is on going, but these old Melody Makers are hard to come by, I will also add some Newspapers like the Jazz News from the 50's, I also have one MM from the 60's, but Lance you are right the tide is starting to change.
Enlargements, for some strange reason some pages will not enlarge, so I will re-scan after Christmas...
Colin

Friday, December 24, 2010 2:36:00 am

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