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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, April 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

17904 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 225 of them this year alone and, so far, 72 this month (March 24).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Wed 26: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 26: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 26: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 27: Hannabiell & Midnight Blue @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 27: Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Superb blues duo.

Fri 28: Giles Strong Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00 SOLD OUT!.
Fri 28: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 28: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 28: Spilt Milk @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £8.00.
Fri 28: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Old Cinema Laundrette, Durham. 7:45pm.
Fri 28: Sue Ferris Quintet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £10.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 28: Mostly Moonlight @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Fri 28: Juliana Day & Manon McCoy @ Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00.; £10.00. advance. JNE.

Sat 29: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 29: Doris Day Story @ Phoenix Theatre, Blyth. 7:30pm.
Sat 29: Squabble! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 30: Jan Spencelayh & Dave Archbold @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 30: Jamil Sheriff Trio w. Nadim Teimoori @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 30: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 30: Jamil Sheriff Trio w. Nadim Teimoori @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 31: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

APRIL 2025

Tue 01: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Mark Robertson.
Tue 01: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, North St., Ferryhill DL17 8HX. 7:30pm. 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

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum….

Actually not so funny – we got lost! Eventually finding it was a treat though as the show (Tuesday night in Billingham, and England on the telly – surely some mistake??) was fantastic! 
The old 1960’s show started with the words:
--"Something familiar, something peculiar, something for everyone….” And Jason Isaacs tonight put together two superb sets which lived up to that idea. Indeed with all the one-liners dotted about (mostly so bad they were good!), he could probably have claimed “a comedy tonight” as well!
For the “familiar” we had Rat Pack classics such as Sailing, Come Fly with Me and Mr. Bojangles; for those who liked an older vintage there was Cheek to Cheek or, for jazz-lovers a funky Summertime or, if you like more recent stuff (“something for everyone”) there was full-on Elvis in Vegas; “something(s) peculiar” came in the form of swing arrangements of For once in My Life and Wonderwall!! These last, both amazing to hear, proved that music, as long as it is GOOD music, has no boundaries and can forever be re-interpreted. The range, from Gershwin to Gallagher, all tackled with equal relish and with equal élan, had the audience clapping, finger-snapping, singing and bopping their way to three encores.
Apart from titles already mentioned Billingham swung to: Got You under My Skin, The Best is Yet to Come, That’s Life, It Don’t Mean a Thing if It Ain’t Got That Swing (nice “doo-wap” backing from The Fenner Sisters), One for My Baby and One More for the Road (nice piano, Paul Edis), Let There Be Love and many more.
You will have gathered from my exclamatory style that I loved this show: the “ingredients” were all first class. There were great songs with intelligent lyrics. The band was fabulous from first to last and the musicians so visibly enjoyed themselves that it all had the feel of a party. The late Dave Connolly would have been proud of them, I’m sure, and would have partied too. A huge sound when “giving it some” (the singer’s words, not mine), yet capable of subtlety and humour where required and with some great soloing along the way. The vocals were excellent – close your eyes and it could have been any of the originals, Sinatra, Bennett, Darin, Nat King Cole. The presentation was unfailingly engaging – Jason Isaacs is energetic (his high-kicks showed scant respect for health-and-safety), good-humoured, personable and boy, does he know how to work an audience! Even their singing on Minnie the Moocher and on The Wonder of You was mellifluous and moving (a bit, at least!).
So, although we got lost on the way home as well, we went home happily whistling Mack the Knife and hoping this show will be on again soon. If it is, we won’t miss it – nor should you.
Jerry.

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