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Bebop Spoken There

Van Morrison: ''Basically, I'm coming from jazz. Not pop, not rock, not what's commercial. That's where I started, and that's still where I am. I feel the same as I did when I was listening to Louis Armstrong, Lead Belly, Jelly Roll Morton''. (The Northern Echo, 12 June 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

1803759 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 480 of them this year alone and, so far, 58 this month (June 18).

From This Moment On ...

JUNE 2025

Sat 21: Jason Holcomb Jazz Ensemble @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 5:30-7:30pm. Free. A 'Sunderland Year of Music' event.
Sat 21: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 21: Red Kites Jazz @ Staithes Café, Dunston. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Sat 21: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 22: Phoenix 4 @ Wallington, Northumberland. 12 noon-1:00pm & 2:00-3:00pm. Tel: 01670 773606. National Trust admission prices apply. ‘Tunes in the Blooms’.
Sun 22: Lapwing Trio @ Wallington, Northumberland. 1:00-2:00pm. Tel: 01670 773606. National Trust admission prices apply. ‘Tunes in the Blooms’.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Jason Isaacs Trio @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 4:00pm. £18.00. + £1.08 bf.
Sun 22: JazzMain @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 23: MSK Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance.
Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club (1:00pm). Free.

Tues 24: ???

Wed 25: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 25: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 25: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 25: The Magpies of Swing @ The Roxy, Leadgate, Co. Durham. 7:30pm. A Ginger Jitterbugs swing dance event, all welcome.

Thu 26: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Brass Instruments & the use of mutes.

Fri 27: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm.
Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 27: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 8:00pm. ‘Time After Time’.

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, April 02, 2012

Djangologie - Jazz in the (Boston) Spa. Saturday March 31.

Jim Birkett (gtr), Emma Fisk (vln), Giles Strong (rhythm gtr) and Mick Shoulder (bs)
The weekly Saturday evening enticement that is Jazz in the Spa cast its spell on us again, the thought of swinging gypsy jazz was just too good to turn down .........
Pooling our petrol rations to avoid the good old british tradition of queueing, this time for petrol, we headed off down the A1 in expectant mood .........as always, a decent crowd in the hall, the candlelit tables adding to the ambiance of downtown Paris as we awaited the evenings Quartet du Hot Club de France.
With Jim ably taking the role of Django Reinhardt and Emma providing glamour as well as the skills of Stephane Grappelli, ably supported by the excellent rhythms of Giles and Mick, we were soon transported back to the smokey cafes of wartime France..........mon dieu, I could feel the tanks rolling by ....
Coquet led into Belleville, Django's Stomp, Nuage (Django's best seller from '43), then their own Les Feuilles d'autumn (Autumn Leaves!). Django's Heavy Artillery (a celebration of the wars end) led us to the pre-break Stompin' at Decca /Xmas swing.
After half an hour's break for Mick to brush up on his parlez francais skills, we were back, with Minor Swing, J'Attendrai, Troublant Bolero, then another of their own with Beautiful Till three.
The raffle failed to provide the prize I sought, the wonderful sketch of Django .........still, life goes on ...
And the music too went on ....Lady Be Good, then their own Sinister Drag before a rousing Sheik of Araby featuring solo's by Jim & Emma, and finally the gypsy anthem LesYeux Noir (dark eyes)......
We were not letting them go so easy ....an encore of In my Quiet Place before rousing applause showed our apprciation of a wonderful evening ....thanks to four very talented musicians.
Ray Robson

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