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 02, 2011

Worst Gig Ever by Graeme Hare.

I lifted this from Facebook as I think it is a situation many musicians have been faced with albeit not always as bad as this.
Lance.
-----
"I always knew it was gonna be bad...New Year's Day gig. 4.00 start at a pub in Burnopfield!When I arrived, a massive fight was taking place between staff and punters. On two seperate occasions the performance had to be stopped as groups of mortal drunk blokes came crashing into the band! (I would have called it off at this point). Another massive fight then breaks out and the police arrive! Yet another fight this time between punters and police!
Finally, as I'm packing my gear up to get the hell out of there, a woman slips over next to me on the road and splits her head open!"
-----
Happy New Year!
at

3 comments :

Roly said...

Hmmmm. My worst ever was when I was booked with a low volume jazz trio to a job where when you walked into the room you observed it was party time, kazoos blowing, screaming, high jinks, etc. What they really wanted and expected was a very loud disco and there we were with bass, gtr and drums. Into the first tune and you could see the jaws drop. Horrible - we survived the evening on an ad-lib selection of R&B tunes (Walkin the dog) and barely remembered pop songs (Buddy Holly etc). That's why if I ever do get an enquiry I probably sound very negative and keep repeating 'Are you sure its jazz you want". Net result - fewer jobs but I'd rather stay at home than suffer that again.
Roly

Sunday, January 02, 2011 7:00:00 pm
Lance said...

I recall an evening at St Dominic's in Byker when this attractive young girl sashayed up to the stage - I thought my luck was in!
Wrong!
"Aa ye's ganna be on aal neet?"
When I confirmed that we were indeed the sole entertainment she turned, despairingly, to her friend and said, "Tha ganna be on aal neet."
Her friend's face was a a picture of horror - "We'll gan ower to the Tanners Arms and listen to the Jukebox!"
As I said, we've all (aal) been there!

Sunday, January 02, 2011 7:07:00 pm
stu weetman said...

I think my worst ever was when I got booked for a New Year at a local hotel (I'm a Geordie ex-pat down south now). The Hotel decided to charge a £25 cover (with no food or anything else thrown in). We played the whole night to absolutely nobody! at least we got paid "up front"!

Monday, January 03, 2011 7:51:00 pm

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