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

Monday, November 07, 2011

John Mayall in Concert - Oli Brown Band @ The Sage, Gateshead.

John Mayall (vcl/hca/keys/gtr); Rocky Athos (gtr); Greg Rzab (bs); Jay Davenport (dms).
Hall One gave British Blues Legend John Mayall a warm welcome as he went into favourites past and present opening up with a solo on Another Man's Daughter. The grey-haired, pony-tailed veteran belied his years as he fired on harp, guitar and keyboard before bringing on the band.
And it was quite a band with Rocky Athos proving to be a worthy successor to some of Mayall's previous guitar heroes such as Clapton, Peter Green and Mick Taylor. Greg Rzab had a long time to wait for his feature but cometh the hour cometh the man and he had an almighty blast on Room to Move. Jay Davenport also had a late feature but it was his hypnotic train rhythm on so many numbers that showed his worth.
And what about the old man himself? - He's still got it. Parchman Farm from the back catalogue never fails to score but Song of Something and Tough Times Ahead from his latest album, Tough, showed he is still ahead of the game.
Oli Brown (gtr.vcl); Ron Sayer (bs); Wayne Proctor (dms).
Earlier, the Oli Brown Band kicked things off. Brown, described by MOJO magazine as "the hottest young pistol in British Blues" lived up to his reputation with some heavy metal thrashes bringing to mind Cream and various blues/rock bands. He's got the technique and the vocal chops so watch this space - he's a kid who's arriving fast.
During the interval I popped my head around the corner where Lindsay Hannon's vocal protégées were strutting their stuff including a certain correspondent of this blog who sang, quite charmingly, Every Time We Say Goodbye
Lance.

2 comments :

Anonymous said...

Lance, Thanks for the mention.
From 'she who sings charmingly'

Lance said...

Col. you are correct of course. Mama Talk to Your Daughter, which came later, somehow got confused with Another Man Done Gone or maybe it was the pre-concert visit to the Central Bar!

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