Bebop Spoken There

Joe Alterman: ''All I wanted to do growing up was to sound like Erroll Garner playing "Poor Butterfly." I thought that was the coolest sound I'd ever heard.'' (DownBeat November, 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

19,066 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 930 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Oct. 31) 109.

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

November

Mon 02: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 02: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Tue 03: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.
Tue 03: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 04: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 04: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 04: An Evening of Erykah Badu @ Holy GrAle, Durham. 7:30pm. £3.00.; £2.50. A Durham University Jazz Society event.
Wed 04: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 05: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 05: Hejira - Celebrating Joni Mitchell @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm.
Thu 05: Cut Capers @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors).
Thu 05: Northern Reaches @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free (donations). Pete Tanton, Joe Steels, Laurence Blackadder, John Hirst.
Thu 05: Fergus McCreadie @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.
Thu 05: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free.

Fri 06: Mike Durham’s International Classic Jazz Party @ Village Hotel, West Allotment. 12 noon. Day 1/3.
Fri 06: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 06: Jazz Night: Bridget Metcalfe @ Saltburn House Hotel. From 6:00pm. Tickets: £40.00 (inc. a two-course meal & glass of Prosecco). Tel: 01287 658977.
Fri 06: The Exu + Kraabel/Harrison/Birchall @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 8:00pm. JNE.

Sat 07: Mike Durham’s International Classic Jazz Party @ Village Hotel, West Allotment. 12 noon. Day 2/3.
Sat 07: Ewan Bleach’s Cable Street Ragtime Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington.
12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club. Superb band.
Sat 07: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Find Your Pocket: Funk & Groove. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 07: Red Kites Jazz @ Costa Café, St James’ Retail Park, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sat 07: Ray Stubbs’ R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers, Newcastle. 6:00pm.

Sun 08: Mike Durham’s International Classic Jazz Party @ Village Hotel, West Allotment. 12 noon. Day 3/3.
Sun 08: Greg Abate w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 08: Kaberry Big Band @ Forest Hall Social Club. 3:00pm. £7.00 (inc. tea & cake). Charity event for the Poppy Appeal.
Sun 08: Greg Abate w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Quadruple Dead Heat @ The Bridge

Ruth Lambert, Zoe Gilby, Lindsay Hannon, Claire Kelly (vcl), Stu Collingwood (pno), Andy Champion (bs), David Francis (dms).
This was indeed a night to remember - three of the area's top singers and an outsider who almost pipped them on the line!
No it wasn't possible to separate them. Each girl has her own sound, her own style and each were totally amazing in their choice of material.
Zoe kicked things off with an original Bell House Hotel - brilliant lyric, then there was The Dry Cleaner From Des Moines - a memorable track from Joni Mitchell's Mingus album. I don't think I've heard Zoe sing better - she was up for it.
Follow that must have ran through every one's minds as Claire Kelly took to the stage - the sacrificial lamb to the slaughter.
This time round it was the lamb who slayed the butcher!
Whisper Not set the stall out - Claire was in the game. How many singers do you know who will attempt Gloomy Sunday? Who will do an uppish Pagan Love Song? - inspired by Jo Stafford, said Claire. The girl is too young to have even heard of Jo Stafford!
Interval time and a look around reveals a very well attended gig. Lot's of friends old and new and a few special ones.
Third set: Lindsay Hannon takes centre stage. Lindsay keeps the bar at the highest level particularly on The End of a Love Affair. But there are others, each one a gem, that somehow slipped through my subconscious. Down With Love didn't though - it jumped - Yip Harburg would be happy.
And so it was down to Ruth to draw things to a close which she duly did even playing some guitar chords along the way.
This had been a splendid evening. Apart from the girls, Stu Collingwood was an absolute monster on piano - Stu Rules OK? Ditto Andy on bass whilst Dave, although not featured prominently, did everything that was asked.
It was brilliant I cannot say more.
Lance.
Next week Djangology replace the advertised Carpus Trio.

1 comment :

Liz said...

I read that Gloomy Sunday, (Billie sang it I think) was supposedly tried to be banned some years ago, I think from the BBC, but I may be wrong. I heard Billie singing one of Hoagy's finest yesterday, "I get along without you very well"
none finer
Liz

Blog Archive