Bebop Spoken There

Ethan Hawke (starring as Lorenz Hart in Blue Moon): ''Larry [Lorenz] Hart would be so happy that his music and his words and his poetry are still alive.'' - The Northern Echo 27 November 2025

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

18000 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 964 of them this year alone and, so far, 73 this month (Nov. 24).

From This Moment On ...

DECEMBER 2025

Fri 05: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 05: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 05: Jazzy Xmas @ Redhills, Durham. 7:30-10:00pm. £10.00., £9.00., £8.00. Miners’ Hall, Flass St., Durham. Feat. Durham University Big Band & Durham University Jazz Orchestra.
Fri 05: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 05: Alligator Gumbo @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £16.96. Saltburn Jazz Xmas Party.

Sat 06: Sarah Spencer’s Transatlantic Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 06: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Minor Swing. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 06: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 06: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £3.76 (inc. bf).
Sat 06: Kaberry Big Band @ The Seahorse, Whitley Bay. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £15.00. (inc. hot buffet). ‘Christmas 1945’. Kaberry Big Band, formerly Vermont Big Band.
Sat 06: Smokin’ Spitfires @ Platform 1, Bedlington. 7:30pm. £6.00. Rhythm & blues.
Sat 06: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00. Xmas Party with buffet.
Sat 06: The Jive Aces @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 8:00pm. £22.00., £20.00.
Sat 06: Brass Fiesta @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 10:30pm. Free.

Sun 07: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Feat. special guest Donna Hewitt (sax, clarinet).
Sun 07: Finn-Keeble Group @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 07: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 07: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 07: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free. Trio + Ruth Lambert.
Sun 07: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 07: Jason Isaacs Big Band @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 5:15pm (4:00pm doors). £21.50 (inc. bf).
Sun 07: Paul Skerritt @ 3 Stories, High St. West, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 07: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Support set from Play More Jazz! course participants. Note earlier start.

Mon 08: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 09: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm

Wed 10: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 10: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 10: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 10: Mike Lindup Jazz Trio @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £26.50 (inc. bf). Lindup, Yolanda Charles (bass), John Sam (drums).
Wed 10: Bold Big Band @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £12.00.

Thu 11: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: West Coast (cool ) / Wordsearch (cool) Cool Jazz or ‘Cold’, ‘Cool’, ‘Hot’, ‘Warm’ in the title or lyrics.
Thu 11: George Robinson @ Prohibition Bar, Albert Road, Middlesbrough TS1 2RU. 7:00pm (doors). £5.42 (inc. bf). Vienna’s Voice charity evening featuring ’15 year old singing sensation the ‘Redcar Crooner’ George Robinson’. Over 35s only.
Thu 11: Paul Skerritt @ Chakh Dhoom, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Indian restaurant. Skerritt w. back tapes.
Thu 11: Ransom Van @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Thu 11: Down for the Count Swing Orchestra @ Middlesbrough Town Hall. 7:30pm. £37.70 (inc. bf). ‘Swing into Xmas’.

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

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

What a Swell Party This Was - celebrating Lily Veitch's 90th @ Blaydon Jazz Club.

Ruth Lambert (vcl); Paul Edis (pno); Mick Shoulder (bs); John Hirst (dms); Roly Veitch & Jim Birkett (gtrs); Steve Andrews (ten). There can't be too many 90 year olds among the jazz fraternity although there are quite a few who look as if they're but a few years short of the century. However, Lily Veitch isn't one of them. Lily carries her years well and never more so than tonight at the family and friends celebration at Blaydon Jazz Club. Perhaps it was a legacy of her earlier years when she performed in a dance troupe (3rd from left in b&w photo) that drew Lily to the music. Coupled with her son's jazz life as a guitarist and singer possibly it was ineveitable. Whatever, tonight; fans, friends, family, and her son's fellow musicians paid tribute in a most enjoyable evening. The Edis Trio set the standard with The Touch of Your Lips and Joyspring. Classic piano trio work that set things up for Ruth Lambert and Falling In Love With Love, A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square, No Moon At All and Devil May Care. The trio also played a couple of originals dedicated to Bird and Bach. This brought us up to buffet time and what a sunptuous spread was laid before us! There was much chat among fans and musicians who not only came to pay their respects to Lily but also to show their support for Roly and his endeavours to keep jazz afloat in Blaydon. Many residents don't realise the unique gem they have in their midst - just wish we had the like in Jarrow and Hebburn. After the cutting of the cake, Roly and Jim Birkett played a mini duo set comprising John Lewis' Skating in Central Park and All The Things You Are. Absolutely delightful is the interplay between these two master craftsmen.
Next up was Steve Andrews. Sadly we only had time for a chorus of Honeysuckle Rose before the number 11 bus beckoned - apologies Steve it wasn't a reflection - what I heard sounded good. So a grand night was had by all. Photos from Jerry Edis. Lance.
Party Postscript...
...after Honeysuckle Rose, which featured a bowed bass solo, it was all aboard for Skylark, described by Steve Andrews as “one of Hoagy Carmichael’s better tunes – and who were we to disagree? After Steve’s stately dismount from the stage drew a second round of applause, it was back to Ruth and the trio for My Romance and How High the Moon. Fine vocals and typically good solos in the encore, West Coast Blues, brought this wonderful evening to a close: congrats Lily, and thanks, Roly (and all at Blaydon Jazz Club).
Jerry.
at

2 comments :

Roly said...

Steve then played a gorgeous version of Skylark.
Christine and I would like to thank everyone for coming along and making it an evening to remember. Thanks to all the musicians, also to Alan & Lisa of the club committee and John & Kathleen for all their help.
Roly

Wednesday, June 01, 2011 10:31:00 am
Liz said...

Sounded wonderful, even though I do not know the lady I wish her a belated happy birthday
Liz

Wednesday, June 01, 2011 5:52:00 pm

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