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

Friday, November 04, 2011

The Bud Tones at Hoochie Coochie Thursday 3rd November 2011

Fiona Littlewood (vcl/ten); Stu Findon (ten); Tim Knowles (gtr); Eric Mckenzie Stutt (dms); Harley Johnson (pno); Jim Crinson (dbl/elct bass).
Arriving late, I rushed in to the sounds of Psychedelic Sally . Next up was The Message which lost none of its funk from the previous number. Fi switched from mic to sax for this one. On came the interval and time for the band to mingle. The bar had plenty of punters and also a fair few musos to boot..
Second set kicked off with a very lively Cheesecake. Eric was swinging like a trouper, I don't know how he does it! Harleys turn to solo and it was great, his improvisation on this made total sense..
Fiona showed her multi-tasking abilities by singing and blowing sax on an original piece Stu's Blues albeit not at the same time. This girl's confidence is growing fast. As usual Stu's soloing was imaginative and smooth throughout, a real gem. Harley's original (of which I'm afraid I don't know the name) was heavy with Monk's influence yet still intriguing, kept strong by Jim's solid upright playing. His electric was sitting by the side and I wondered if I'd missed the chance of hearing him play it again. I fretted that I'd missed his nimble finger work by arriving late. I was wrong, it was back with a vengeance for 'The Jody Grind..You Don't Know What Love Is is a song I've heard Fiona sing so many times now but it never fails to impress me, it really shows the jazz element in her voice.. And here it was,, the solo I'd been waiting for from Tim Knowles. Boy, this guy knows how to funk up The Jody Grind. It was only a shame it didn't last longer.More tunes followed but to save my blathering on I'll leave it with this... a thoroughly enjoyable evening, this band gets better every time I hear them.
Claire Kelly.

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