Bebop Spoken There

Christian McBride: ''I believe we are living in a historically embarrassing moment in American history.'' - Downbeat December 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

18061 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 1025 of them this year alone and, so far, 39 this month (Dec. 14).

From This Moment On ...

DECEMBER 2025

Wed 17: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Spanish City, Whitley Bay. 12 noon. £29.00 (inc. bf). ‘Festive Lunch’. VCJ on stage 12 noon (three sets 'til 4:00pm).
Wed 17: Lazy River Band @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. Veronica Perrin, Chris Perrin, John Farragher, Phil Rutherford
Wed 17: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 17: Paul Skerritt @ Middlesbrough Town Hall. 7:00pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Wed 17: A Jazzy Xmas @ Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm. Paul Edis (MD, piano); Jo Harrop (vocals); Kyran Matthews (tenor sax, soprano sax); Faye Thompson (alto sax, clarinet); Sue Ferris (flute, piccolo); Graham Hardy (trumpet, flugelhorn); Jason Holcomb (trombone);Emma Fisk (violin); Andy Champion (double bass); Matt MacKellar (drums).
Wed 17: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 18: Paul Skerritt @ YOLO, Ponteland. 7:00pm. ‘Swing & Jazz Night’. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Thu 18: Joe Steels & Friends @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:30pm. Free (donations).

Fri 19: Fraser Urquhart @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT! .
Fri 19: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free..
Fri 19: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free..
Fri 19: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00..
Fri 19: Castillo Nuevo @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:00pm. Free. .
Fri 19: Alexia Gardner @ FIKA Art Gallery, Morpeth. 6:30pm. Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy..
Fri 19: Paul Skerritt @ Middlesbrough Town Hall. 7:00pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes. .
Fri 19: Giles Strong Quartet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club..
Fri 19: Creakin’ Bones & the Xmas Dinners @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £13.01 (inc. bf)..
Fri 19: Mark Toomey Quintet @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.

Sat 20: Jazz Attack @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 11:00am. Free.
Sat 20: Alexia Gardner @ FIKA Art Gallery, Morpeth. 6:30pm. Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy. SOLD OUT!
Sat 20: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. CANCELLED!
Sat 20: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 20: Hoodoo Blues @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:15pm (doors). £14.25, £11.55. Dance class, social dancing, live music & Xmas Party. Live music from 9:00pm - Ruth Lambert, Giles Strong, Ian Paterson & John Bradford (jazz and blues).
Sat 20: John Pope Quintet @ Blank Studios, Newcastle. 7:30-8:30pm. £7.70 (inc. bf). Album recording session.

Sun 21: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. ‘Xmas Swingalong’. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 21: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00-5:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ o2 City Hall, Newcastle. 6:00pm. £35.80., £33.25., £31.00.
Sun 21: The Globe Xmas Party @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Live music.
Sun 21: Tweed River Jazz Band @ The Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:30pm. Free.

Mon 22: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 23: Paul Skerritt @ Chakh Dhoom, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Indian restaurant. Skerritt w. backing tapes.

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

Sunday, January 29, 2012

New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Gateshead Old Town Hall Sat. Jan.. 28

Steve Andrews (alt/ten/clt); Alan Hastings (alt/ten/clt); Jim McBriarty (clt/alt/bar/vcl); Tom Cook (cor); Caroline Irwin (cor/vcl); Ed Cross (vln); Neville Hartley (tmb); Keith Nichols (pno/vcl); Keith Stephen (gtr/bjo); Phil Rutherford (sousa); Steve Doyle (dms).
This gig took me back to childhood days.  I remembered watching television programmes such as The Roaring Twenties or The Temperance Seven with my parents.  The  orchestra created a fun atmosphere,  what with sousaphone,  violin,  banjo and  piano (besides the  usual brass and reed instruments and drums), and the lovely singing of Caroline Irwin who was clad appropriately in a black dress with silver trim and  headband with a flower, matching the smart black and white suits of the rest of the band.  Almost every seat in  the hall was  taken, which  was a  credit to the band.
We had a feast of Scott Joplin, Cole Porter, Blues of the happier variety, lots of Duke Ellington and many more.  Songs ranged from the more serious I’m Through With Love to delightfully silly songs such as My Sweet Tooth Says I Wanna But My Wisdom Tooth Says No; and Washing Dishes With My Sweetie.  Jim McBriarty lent his vocal chords to the latter number and there were two special feature spots from guest pianist Keith Nichols, when Keith and the drummer had the stage to themselves, and the rest of the band went for a brandy, so the sax playing master of ceremonies, Steve Andrews told us.  Keith treated us to tunes from 1929, for instance Old Man Sunshine and I’ll Get By.  For his second set he played Duke Ellington numbers; Solitude; Sophisticated Lady; and a tune which has no name, from the Creole Suite.  To say that this man plays well is an understatement, and the playing was tastefully complemented by the gently brushed drums of Steve Doyle.  
During ensemble playing there were many skilled solos from various other band members.  Steve Andrews was featured on tenor with just piano and drums for support on I Guess I'll Have To Change My Plan. Throughout the evening the master of ceremonies held it all together well, right through to the encore Prince of Wails.
What a lovely way to spend a Saturday evening.
Photos.
Ann Alex   
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4 comments :

Steve Doyle (on Facebook). said...

Thanks for the kind words again Lance, just practicing my gentle brush work now.....sweeping the floor!!

Monday, January 30, 2012 7:17:00 pm
Lance said...

Not my words Steve!

Monday, January 30, 2012 7:17:00 pm
Steve Doyle (on Facebook). said...

Ooops!

Monday, January 30, 2012 7:18:00 pm
Lance said...

I do go along with them though.

Monday, January 30, 2012 7:18:00 pm

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