Bebop Spoken There

Donovan Haffner ('Best Newcomer' 2025 Parliamentary Jazz Awards): ''I got into jazz the first time I picked up a saxophone!" - Jazzwise Dec 25/Jan 26

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

18146 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 24 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 7), 24

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Sat 10: Mark Toomey Quintet @ St Peter’s Church, Stockton-on-Tees. 7:30pm. £12.00. (inc. pie & peas). Tickets from: 07749 255038.

Sun 11: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 12: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 12: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 13: Milne Glendinning Band @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00. Coquetdale Jazz.
Tue 13: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 14: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 14: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 15: Mark Toomey Quartet @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. Quartet + guest Paul Donnelly (guitar).

Fri 16: Giles Strong Quartet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 16: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 16: Darlington Big Band @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 16: Leeds City Stompers @ Billy Bootleggers, Newcastle. 9:00pm. Free.

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

Thursday, June 02, 2011

The Maine Street Jazzmen, Sinatra and a cat called Ginger.

Olive Rudd (vcl); Ray Harley (tpt); Iain MacAulay (tmb, vcl); Jim McBriarty (clt, vcl); George Richardson (pno); Alan Rudd (bs); Mike Humble (dms).
A hot day - 22 degrees no less and it seemed to affect our cat Ginger who was off his food. When Ginger doesn't eat alarm bells ring. I left him a plate of prawns which usually has recuperative qualities.
It was warm on the number 27 bus. So much so that I hopped off on Westoe Rd and called into the used cd and vinyl store. This is a good shop which has quite a bit of jazz. However, rather than compartmentalise it it is mixed in with everything from Abba to Zeppelin and as such not easy to find.
The owner saw me looking at a Sinatra album - "We have every Sinatra album under the counter."
That phrase took me back to Dad's Army so I decided to test him out. "Moonlight Sinatra?".
Seconds later he handed me an immaculate copy of the LP!
"How much?" I asked suspiciously - 'under the counter' items are usually premier priced.
"£4".
I didn't even haggle the disc looked virtually unplayed.
So it was purchased and I headed down to Rosie Malone's my day made already.
The bitter I opted for was Boondiggle - a summer ale that blended perfectly with the weather.
Bill and Mary were back from Spain, John and Jill back from the '100 Club', Charlie and his confrere back from wherever they'd been - in fact the only person who wasn't back was Herbie who is still in Turkey.
Much conversation centred around the death of Dave Connolly although as yet no details are known.
As regards the music everyone was on form. Ray hitting them on the nail, George playing some beautiful embellishments before nailing it. Jim singing and swinging on gobbo and vocal. Iain too had a vocal feature - Georgia on My Mind. A splendid afternoon.
I returned home and opened the door, the prawns were gone. and Ginger had a contented smile on his face.
Sinatra sounded good too!
Lance.

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