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

Thu 08: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: Jazz Milestones of 1976.

Fri 09: The House Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00.
Fri 09: Nauta @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Trio: Jacob Egglestone, Jamie Watkins, Bailey Rudd.
Fri 09: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Warren James & the Lonesome Travellers @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £15.00.
Fri 09: The Blue Kings @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £10.00. (£8.00. adv.). All-star band.

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.

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, February 27, 2012

I Get a Kick Out of Ruth @ The Cherry Tree.

Ruth Lambert (vcl); Stuart Collingwood (pno); Neil Harland (bs); Paul Smith (dms).
Ruth decided she was Taking a Chance on Love which as we all know is a much bigger deal than taking a chance on Mushroom Fritters with Mozzarella, Pine Nuts, Roquet and Basil Oil. which is what I did. It worked out fine for both of us!
Whilst I was delighting in the piquancy of my starter Our Lady Ruth gave out with Dream a Little Dream of Me, What is This Thing Called Love and The Nearness of You. All done with the Lambert trademarks - the permanent smile you're sure is directed to you alone, the light falsetto swoops that tell you this is no mere mundane reading but an adventurous sortie which could end in disaster but doesn't. How could it with such a safety net as Messrs Collingwood, Harland and Smith?
My Confit of Pork, Lyonais Potatoes, Apple and Black Pudding arrived as Ruth went into that song from Black Orpheus which seems to have a thousand titles. This version was A Day in The Life of a Clown - one thing is sure - the Chef at the Cherry Tree is no clown! 
Blue Skies and Black Coffee for Ruth and a bottle of Black Sheep for me before it was time for Time After Time. Ruth and Neil - Voice and Bass - played the opening chorus before Stu took over for some exploratory piano playing. We have some great keyboard men in the north east and Stu is certainly up there with them. Likewise, on drums, Paul Smith too is in contention. Neil Harland? - Daddy Cool! 
Interval time and a chat with Ruth who informed me that the young guy, sitting with his dad and enjoying the music, had sung at the Jazz Café last night. One of the two singers mentioned by Kav who appeared after I left..(Pleased to meet you Rob - and your dad Chris.)
The second set began with Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby and S'Wonderful. Mine began with Pistachio, Almond and Apricot Tart and it too was S'Wonderful!
Fever, One Note Samba, It Had to Be You and Autumn Leaves - a request. Some years ago, I requested Ruth to sing Blue Champagne and I'm still waiting. This guy gets his request within 5 minutes! Mind you he was younger than me although I too was young(er) when I put my request in.
I Get a Kick Out of You wrapped it all up.
Nice one.
Lance.

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