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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

17923 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 244 of them this year alone and, so far, 91 this month (March 31).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Thu 03: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Women in Jazz.
Thu 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 03: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. A Tees Hot Club promotion. First Thursday in the month.

Fri 04: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 04: Ruth Lambert Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Fri 04: Tom McGuire & the Brassholes @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00.
Fri 04: Nicolas Meier’s Infinity Group + Spirit of Jeff Beck @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm.

Sat 05: Tenement Jazz Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 05: Sleep Suppressor @ Head of Steam, Newcastle. 5:30-6:00pm.
Sat 05: King Bees @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Raymond MacDonald & Jer Reid @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 6:00-9:30pm. £7.72., £1.00. (minimum donation). MacDonald & Reid + Objections + Yotuns.
Sat 05: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Kamasi Washington @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £33.00.
Sat 05: Vermont Big Band @ The Seahorse, Whitley Bay. 7:30pm. Tickets: £10.00 (from the venue).
Sat 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 06: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 06: Learning & Participation Showcase @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm (1:00pm doors). Free. Featuring participants from Play More Jazz! Play More Folk! Blue Jam Singers & more.
Sun 06: Joe Steels Group @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Ferg Kilsby, Joe Steels, Ben Lawrence, Paul Susans, John Hirst.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Hooch, Quayside, Newcastle. 6:00pm.
Sun 06: Leeway @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 07: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 08: ???

Wed 09: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 09: Tannery jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm.
Wed 09: Anatole Muster Trio @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £17.50., £12.50. concs.
Wed 09: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED?

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, February 17, 2012

Bebside Big Band @ St.Nicholas Church Hall, Gosforth. February 16th

Peter Morgan (M.D/tmb); Peter Hepplewhite, Sandra Wilkinson, Ian Smith, Amber Reeve, Allan Jones (Saxes); Ken DeVere, Dave Parnaby, Steve Hackett, Dougie Armstrong, Miles Watson (tpts); Tony Beard, Bobby Percy, Robin Nixon, (tmb); Joe McMullen (pno); John Duncan (bs); John Vine (dms).
Sammy Nestico’s Basie - Straight Ahead  (pure Basie),  Fantasy for Saxophones (comp. Lennie Niehaus) was pure Kenton, followed by Sonny Rollin’s Doxy (featuring the Blyth based Big Band’s saxophone section) augured well for another first rate session of big band jazz. Ah, but wait…the dance band sounds of the thirties onwards were soon to take centre stage. The audience (‘senior citizens’ in the main) soon took to the floor. Peter Morgan, the band’s affable MD, encouraged one and all to trip the light (not so) fantastic. One couple – the star turn Terpsichoreans on the night – led the way and others followed. Cha Cha Cha, foxtrot, rumba, tango, waltz – you name it we got it. Ol’ Man River and Moon River (excellent ensemble work) were but two of many tunes rattled-off by the Bebside Big Band as the dance floor remained busy. 
The church hall, resembling a Nissen hut, was a hive of activity during the interval as there was a mass breakout into another Nissen hut where there was a lavish buffet laid on for free. As the saying goes…’Owt for nowt and tuppence change’ so all tucked in. Beer and wine were snapped up at give-away prices and in no time the second set was upon us. 
Hay Burner and an excellent arrangement of Alfie augured well…ah, but wait…this was a dance band night. The Gay Gordons – I know, hard to believe – had them rocking, well, creaking. One old chap, past his bed time, bade farewell, walking stick raised head high as he exited the hall. The jazzers latched onto How High the Moon as the rhythm section swung it. New York New York sounded good too. MD Morgan thanked the audience for entertaining the band throughout with their loud conversation and the packed hall went home happy with one Last Waltz.
Russell.         

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