Bebop Spoken There

Dominick "Domo" Branch: ''Most people say drummers can't write, they're just time-keepers only beating on things. But I have a very musical brain.'' (DownBeat February, 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

18288 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 142 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Feb. 14), 42

From This Moment On ...

February

Thu 19: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: George Shearing Jazz Moments.

Fri 20: Alex Clarke w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT! Clarke w. Dean Stockdale, Mick Shoulder, Abbie Finn.
Fri 20: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 20: Squabble @ Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7:00pm. Steve Chambers (organ); Jude Murphy (double bass, vocals); Sid White (drums).
Fri 20: Jive Aces @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:00pm (6:30pm doors).
Fri 20: Alex Clarke w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Clarke w. Dean Stockdale, Mick Shoulder, Abbie Finn.

Sat 21: ???

Sun 22: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 22: Joe Steels Group @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. A Blue Patch album tour.
Sun 22: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Harben Kay Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 23: Joe Steels Group @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. A Blue Patch album tour.
Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 24: Finn-Keeble Group @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00.
Tue 24: Liam Oliver & Shayo Oshodi @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 26: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £6.50.
Thu 26: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00 adv.
Thu 26: Mick Cantwell Band @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Blues.

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

Sunday, January 09, 2011

Rendezvous Jazz @ The Piper, Cullercoats. January 8th

Maureen Hall (vocals), Iain MacAulay (trombone, trumpet, bagpipes & vocals), Jim McBriarty (clarinet, alto sax & vocals), Mac Smith (keyboards), John Robinson (double bass) and Jim McKeown (drums) + Teresa Armstrong (vocals), Roy Gibson (keyboards) & John (vocals) December's inclement weather put paid to Rendezous Jazz' Christmas party. The January session was a late Christmas/New Year party and the band's fans turned out in large numbers, so much so that extra chairs were brought through from the bar.
A free buffet was on offer as was a record number of raffle prizes (sixteen or more). Proceedings opened with mild mannered Jim McBriarty singing Angry. McBriarty angry? Hardly. Nevertheless, it was good fun. Maureen Hall chose to look to to the future and sang Summertime (roll on spring!). Trombone man Iain MacAulay sang, in his own inimitable way, The Lady is a Tramp.
A first set highlight was McBriarty playing excellent clarinet on Creole Love Call. Hall closed the first set with 'S Wonderful. Indeed.
The interval entertainment was, as ever, provided by Teresa Armstrong accompanied by Roy Gibson and John did a quick turn.
The band, refreshed, played a succession of favourites - I Can't Give You Anything But Love (Hall sang, McBriarty played alto, MacAulay soloed on trombone, Mac Smith on piano), It Don't Mean a Thing (McBriarty sang) and MacAulay took the vocals on I Wan't a Little Girl (not exactly Joe Turner more like MacAulay) with good clarinet and trombone. This being the time of year it is we were treated (tortured? only joking!) to the delights of Iain MacAulay's bagpipes breathing life into When The Saints Go Marching In backed enthusiastically by the ever reliable Jim McKeown (drums), bassist John Robinson and piano man Mac Smith.
February's session, usually first Saturday in the month, will be held on February 12th (second Saturday). Russell.

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