Bebop Spoken There

Jools Holland (on his 2026 spring/summer tour): ''With the mighty [R&B] Orchestra, our wonderful boogie woogie singers, and the brilliant Joe Webb opening the shows [including Darlington Hippodrome, June 19], we're in for some very special evenings of music.'' The Northern Echo February 5, 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

18263 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 117 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Feb. 6), 17

From This Moment On ...

February

Sat 07: The Big Easy @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 07: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30-3:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 07: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. St Thomas & Bésame Mucho. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 07: Side Cafe Oᴙkestar @ Café Under the Spire, Gateshead. 6:30pm. Table reservations: 0191 477 3970.
Sat 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 08: Swing Tyne @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12 noon (doors). Donations. Swing dance taster class (12:30pm) + Hot Club de Heaton (live performance). Non dancers welcome.
Sun 08: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 09: Mark Williams Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 09: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 10: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 11: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington.. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 11: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 12: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 13: Noel Dennis Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm . £9.00. Dennis (trumpet, flugelhorn); Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 13: Joe Steels @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 13: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm.
Fri 13: Tom Remon & John Moriarty @ The Ship Isis, Silksworth Row, Sunderland SR1 3QJ. 7:00pm. £10.00 + £1.00 bf.

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

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Mine's Santa Baby what's yours?

What's your favourite Christmas Song? I kinda like Santa Baby although the MJQ's God Rest You Merry Gentlemen isn't bad either.
Interesting to hear what others think.
Lance.
PS: Ann - here's a jazz(ish) version of Bleak Midwinter.

9 comments :

Roly said...

Royal Roost NYC 25th Dec 1948
Parker/Dorham/Haig/Potter/Roach playing White Christmas.
Roly

Liz said...

I like "Have yourself a very merry Christmas"
Liz

Andrea Picton (On Facebook). said...

I have two that I love, Santa Baby (snap) - Eartha Kitt ......... and David Bowie and Bing - Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy

Steve Andrews (on Facebook). said...

I have two all-time christmas favourites: "Swingin' Them Jingle Bells" by Fats Waller - pure joyful swing - and "Santa's Secret" by Slam Stewart and Johnny Guarnieri, which is totally hilarious. Either one will cheer you up and banish dark thoughts of the bloody Metro Centre/Eldon Square etc., etc........

Anonymous said...

I think mine should have read "have yourself a merry little Christmas" the webmaster will know!
Liz

Lance said...

You are absolutely correct - my fault for trying to be Mr Knowall!

Ann Alexander said...

lilI don't know enough about jazz christmas songs, but I love the carol 'In the Bleak Midwinter', so I'll vote for that if someone can come up with a jazz version. How about it, all you local bands?
Ann Alex

Lance said...

Not a local band Ann but this solo piano version by Ken Middleton on YouTube isn't bad at all.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5wPFnp401s

Ann Alexander said...

Thank you Lance for that version of 'In the Bleak Midwinter', which was really good to listen to, and I think it could be called jazz. The words of the carol are worth reading, written of course by Victorian poet Christina Rossetti, who was a strange woman who rejected 3 marriage proposals on religious grounds. You really wanted to know that! Ann

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