Bebop Spoken There

Jools Holland (on his 2026 spring/summer tour): ''With the mighty [R&B] Orchestra, our wonderful boogie woogie singers, and the brilliant Joe Webb opening the shows [including Darlington Hippodrome, June 19], we're in for some very special evenings of music.'' The Northern Echo February 5, 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

18263 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 117 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Feb. 6), 17

From This Moment On ...

February

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: Durham Alumni Big Band & Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn Theatre. 7:30pm. £12.00. Two big bands on stage together!
Fri 06: Nauta + Littlewood Trio @ Little Buildings, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Double bill + jam session.
Fri 06: FILM: Made in America @ Star & Shadow Cinema, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Ornette Coleman.
Fri 06: Deep Six Blues @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm.

Sat 07: The Big Easy @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 07: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30-3:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 07: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. St Thomas & Bésame Mucho. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 07: Side Cafe Oᴙkestar @ Café Under the Spire, Gateshead. 6:30pm. Table reservations: 0191 477 3970.
Sat 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 08: Swing Tyne @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12 noon (doors). Donations. Swing dance taster class (12:30pm) + Hot Club de Heaton (live performance). Non dancers welcome.
Sun 08: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 09: Mark Williams Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 09: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 10: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 11: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington.. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 11: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 12: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

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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