Bebop Spoken There

Christian McBride: ''We knew back in the day that Emmet [Cohen] had it.'' (DownBeat July, 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

18754 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 618 of them this year alone and, so far this month (July 28) 82

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

July

Tue 28: Liam & Shayo @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free. Liam Oliver (guitar), Shayo Oshodi (vocals).

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 29: Abbie Finn Trio @ Music Dept., Durham University. 9:15pm. A Durham Fringe Festival event

Thu 30: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 30: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £6.50.
Thu 30: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes. .

Fri 31: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 31: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 31: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 31: Red Kites Jazz @ Land of Oak & Iron, Winlaton. 6:00-9:00pm. Free.
Fri 31: Milne Glendinning Band @ Repas 7 by Night, Berwick. 8:00-9:00pm. £6.00. A Berwick Fringe Festival event. £6.00 (£6.00 wristband access to all Fringe events).

August

Sat 01: Jazz Weekend workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 9:30am. £95.00. Tutors: Nel Begley & Paul Edis: Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop. Day 1/2.
Sat 01: Jim Wright’s Rhythm Deluxe @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 01: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Saltburn Bandstand. 2:30-4:30pm. Free.
Sat 01: Milne Glendinning Band @ Leonard’s Coffee House, Durham. 6:20pm. £7.00. A Durham Fringe Festival. 1/2.
Sat 01: Paul Skerritt Swing Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 8:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 01: The Swing Commanders @ The Amphitheatre, Stockton. 9:00-10:30pm. Free. Stockton International Riverside Festival.

Sun 02: Jazz Weekend workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 9:30am. £95.00. Tutors: Nel Begley & Paul Edis: Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop. Day 2/2.
Sun 02: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 02: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Feat. guest Sue Ferris.
Sun 02: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 02: Milne Glendinning Band @ Leonard’s Coffee House, Durham. 6:20pm. £7.00. A Durham Fringe Festival event. 2/2.
Sun 02: Nel Begley & Paul Edis @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00.

Mon 03: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 03: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Lennart Andersson @ The Jazz Café Sat June 18.

I hope you don’t mind me breaking convention, but I need to review my own gig!!!, but its not about me!
We had a terrific gig on Saturday at the Jazz Café, it was at its unpredictable best. A scratch band was created due to Steve Glendinning breaking a thumb (we wish him a speedy recovery, and I for one am keeping my head down and living the quiet life until this current vogue for broken bones is passed)! Jim Crinson was on bass, Mark Robertson on drums, and myself (Alan Law)on keys, we were marshalled by the great Lindsay Hannon on vocals.
After our first tune (an interesting, rather free form version of Autumn Leaves) we were approached by a rather blunt talking gentleman saying “I have a tenor saxophone with me.” Now, I am never averse to sitters in, but over the years, there has been a large variance in what is brought to the bandstand, and by then the place was filling up with an enthusiastic crowd. I think it took him one note to persuade me that this was going to be special, as he took a solo in the next number. He then called a couple of tunes, Ornithology, Body and Soul, that we played as a quartet. He sounded like a mix of Dexter Gordon and Zoot Sims, what a player! Who is this guy? He gave me his card and said “this, is very important” “I am Lennart”.
The nights excitement grew. Claire Kelly was in and had her pad, so our new quartet swung into some re-harmonised standards, which were extremely well received, incidentally Lennart looked at the concert charts once then played elegant rolling lines with no apparent effort and complete accuracy. After Claire's set, we spotted Zoe Gilby and Andy in the crowd, Zoe also had her pad, I began to wonder whether Ruth Lambert would turn up and complete the singing showcase we were being treated to.
After a wonderful set from Zoe, which included a particularly ballsy version of Nature Boy , we had a break.
The last set kicked off at around 12.30am to a packed Jazz Café, and we were treated to the three singers all taking scat solos to a crowd pleasing funk version of Summertime.The set ended with Lindsay singing a storming version of Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby? and a touching treatment of Don't Explain. Jim and Mark swung like hell, I thouroughly enjoyed myself, “the big three” were an inspiration, topped off with a world class mystery saxophonist. Zoe and Andy left late to a chorus of “we are The Champions.” Keith Crombie said “did you enjoy that Alan?”
Oh yeah!
Alan Law.

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