Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: ''It was then that Colltrane came along and single-handedly brought this dimension of spirituality into jazz. It was a pivotal experience to me.'' (DownBeat September, 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

18947 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 811 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Sept. 28.) 90.

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

September.

Tue 29: Tenderly: The Life & Times of Nat ‘King’ Cole @ Hepscott Parish Hall. 7:30pm. . £15.00., £12.00. (Early Bird advance ticket), £10.00. Off-Broadway production feat. Duane Forrest.
Tue 29: Red Kites Jazz @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 30: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 30: Darlington Big Band @ The Traveller's Rest, Cockerton, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. For one week only the rehearsal night will be at the Traveller's Rest (open to the public).
Wed 30: Tenderly: The Life & Times of Nat ‘King’ Cole @ The Hearth, Horsley. 7:30pm. £15.00., £12.00. (Early Bird advance ticket), £10.00. Off-Broadway production feat. Duane Forrest.
Wed 30: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 30: New Ways of Moving in the Counterworlds + Juliana Day & Manon McCoy + Helen Anahita Wilson @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. A BBC Introducing-Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.

October

Thu 01: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 01: Rivkala @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 01: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 01: Hot Club de Heaton @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free (donations).
Thu 01: The Scenic Route @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free.

Fri 02: Alison Gill + Markrokosmos @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music (NFOJAIM).
Fri 02: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 02: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 02: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 02: Gilby & Hunter + Andy Champion @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 6:00pm. NFOJAIM.
Fri 02: Abbie Finn Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. The Abbie Finn Trio augmented by Dean Stockdale (piano).
Fri 02: Alexia Gardner Trio @ Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7:30pm. £15.00.
Fri 02: Zoe Rahman Trio @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 8:00pm. NFOJAIM. SOLD OUT!

Sat 03: New Orleans Ragtime Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club. Gavin Lee & co.
Sat 03: Anemone Quartet + Jeepe Zeeburg @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. NFOJAIM.
Sat 03: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Caravan. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 03: Struggle Buggy @ The Peacock, Sunderland. 6:00pm. Free. Excellent blues band.
Sat 03: Bright Street Big Band @ Washington Arts Centre. 6:30pm. £12.50 (inc. bf). Two sets: 7:30-8:15pm & 8:45-9:30pm. ‘Swing Band Dance Night’.
Sat 03: Olie Brice Quartet + Alexander Hawkins + Harper Trio @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 7:00pm. NFOJAIM.
Sat 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 04: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Heugh Battery, Hartlepool. 11:00am-12 noon & 1:00-2:00pm.
Sun 04: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 04: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Quintet w. special guest Bill Watson (trumpet).
Sun 04: Sax Choir w. Rachel Musson @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 04: Rivkala + Ceitidh Mac + Thatcher & Knowles @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:30pm. A NFOJAIM event.
Sun 04: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free. RESCHEDULED from September 27.
Sun 04: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 04: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £3.00.

Mon 05: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Monday, September 19, 2011

Roly Veitch and Friends @ The Cherry Tree

Roly Veitch (gtr/vcl); Noel Dennis (tpt/flug); Neil Harland (bs).
On a Roly Veitch gig what you see is what you get. No hidden agendas, no pushing for new frontiers, just a choice selection of tunes that, by and large, haven't been done to death - rather like the menu at the Cherry Tree.
As I was deliberating over the Bacon and Sweetcorn Chowder and the Pork Rillette, Toast and Garden Leaves (the latter dish got the nod) Roly was crooning I've Got a Date With an Angel.- what a great song. It was enhanced by Noel Dennis' exquisite trumpet accompaniment and subsequent solo. A few Chetian characteristics in their respective singing and playing.
There Is No Greater Love - another gem - and the perfect side dish for my pork starter. Noel went onto flugel for Nature Boy which, I have to confess, is not a song I particularly like yet Roly sang it well and again Noel played with lots of feeling so maybe they're converting me - something Nat King Cole didn't manage!
It was as I was midway through my succulent Fillet of Pork, Black Pudding and Caramelised Apples that, for me, came the musical the highlight of the evening - 'Tis Autumn. Loved this song since I heard George Evans sing it with Geraldo and, subsequently, a beautiful version by Stan Getz kept it on my radar. A relaxed vocal from Roly, more flugel horn from Noel with the whole lot underpinned by Neil Harland. It's hard to equate the laid back double bassist Neil with the wild bass guitarist Neil with Mo Scott's band - tonight he was the King of Cool. In fact all three are straight from the fridge (and that's a compliment by the way guys!) a good name for the band would be The King Cool Trio!
I've Never Been In Love Before - another classic performance - as was the Chocolate and Praline Brownie, Brandy Chantilly and Raspberries.
Too many good tunes to list them all although It Could Happen To You couldn't be allowed to go by without a mention - great song, great rendition.
As an interesting sideline Proprietor Peter introduced me to a couple - 'Doc' Foster and his wife. Doc was a member of the legendary Mighty Joe Young Band back in the 1950s and we shared a few reminiscences of luminaries now departed such as Ronnie McLean, Clem Avery, John Saxelby and others from bygone days.
As a matter of further interest, for those who like their music to be melodic - an article by Branford Marsalis in the Seattle Weekly (brought to my attention by LondonJazz) will be manna.
Lance.

1 comment :

Paul Gowland said...

Aah, the late great Ronnie 'stairway to the stars' Maclean and Clem 'satisfactory' Avery. Fond remoniscing! Paul Gowland.

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