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

18818 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 682 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 20) 51.

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 26: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 26: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 26: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 27: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 27: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 27: 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 27: 58 Jazz Collective @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Stranton, Hartlepool. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 27: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00.

Fri 28: Graham Hardy Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 28: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 28: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 28: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.

Sat 29: Brian Jackson @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 8:30pm (doors). £32.00.

Sun 30: Musicians Unlimited @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: Tango Jazz Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 31: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

September.

Tue 01: Customs House Big Band @ Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 01: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, John Hirst.

Saturday, April 30, 2011

William, Kate, Harry James & Robert Crais

It's been a good day. Still on a high after yesterday's wedding - a million people lining The Mall (personally I counted at least another 50!) made me feel good and wishing I was there. Today I Metro'd down to South Shields in, by Tyneside standards, sub-tropical temperatures. I needed a pint and something to read. First charity shop I entered had a vinyl Harry James for 75p. A couple of live 1940 broadcasts from the Southland Café, Boston and the Hotel Lincoln in NYC. Vocals by Dick Haymes and the Ray Harley like trumpet of the leader made this a must buy. I still needed some reading material which came about via Robert Crais' The Monkey's Raincoat. Just when I thought Raymond Chandler was gone forever I find a book by Robert Crais who is very much in the maestro's mode - "I'll bet you were the third prettiest girl in Eleventh Grade." She smiled and said, "Second actually." Reading material sorted I dropped into the South Shields branch of J.D. Wetherspoon's. To my delight they were still in patriotic mode wih union jacks strewn across the ceiling and a pint of an appropriately named ale from York Breweries (can't remember the name but it was 4.8% and tasted lovely!) Rounded off the day listening to the vinyl - James could blow and Corky Corcoran's tenor wasn't bad either!
Lance.

No comments :

Blog Archive