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Bebop Spoken There

Steve Coleman: ''If you don't keep learning, your mind slows down. Use it or lose it''. (DownBeat, January 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

17719 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 39 of them this year alone and, so far, 39 this month (Jan. 15).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Wed 15: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 15: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 15: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 15: Hot Club of Heaton @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘third Wednesday in the month’ session. TBC.

Thu 16: Pete Tanton & the Cuban Heels @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 17: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 17: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 17: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 17: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 17: Joe Steels Trio w. Graham Hardy @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £10.00. (inc. a welcome drink & table reservation). Book at: www.drinks@thepele.co.uk. A ‘Jazz at the Pele’ promotion.
Fri 17: Russ Morgan Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 17: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 18: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 18: Alter Ego + Jamie Toms/Graham Don Duo @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 18: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Repas 7 by Night, West St., Berwick TD15 1AS. 7:30pm. Free. Album launch gig.
Sat 18: Delta Prophets @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 19: Glenn Miller Orchestra UK @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 3:00pm. ‘Glenn Miller & the Rat Pack Era’.
Sun 19: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 19: Spilt Milk @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 5:15-7:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 19: Tenement Jazz Band @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 19: Nick Ross Orchestra @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm.
Sun 19: Freight Train (Tobin/Noble/Clarvis) @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 20: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 21: ???

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

A Jazz Day Out. Sunday April 1.

A blue sky spring day. A train ride into the Deep South of Bebop Spoken Here Land. The Park Inn, Hartlepool, noon. A pint of Black Sheep, a packet of dry-roasted, the musicians arrive in dribs and drabs. The room was soon standing room only. They’ve done this before, some of them for twenty years or more – musicians and audience alike. 
Mick Donnelly’s Musicians Unlimited know countless tunes, so too the band’s loyal followers. A favourite of one and all at this gig is vocalist Bob Caswell. A veteran of the scene, he worked the room with consummate saloon-bar ease. All of Me, You Make Me Feel So Young, I’ve Got the World on a String,  Day In, Day Out, the list goes on and the applause went on and on. Mr. Caswell is a class act and it was a joy to hear this first class band behind him. 
Returning to Tyneside it was time for a bite to eat then on to the Sage via the Jazz Café’s jam session. It was early (house bass player Paul Grainger and pianist Alan Law were sitting having a natter), six o’clock is early in this joint - the advertised start-time was two o’clock or three o’clock depending which piece of publicity you read. Proprietor Keith Crombie operates on CrombieTime, a little known parallel universe and those of us not of this other world know we must sit and wait and wait…Law began to play a blues – it was good but it was time to go. 
The Sage, on the south side of the river, was about to present three of the very best regional youth big bands. Paraffernalia, the premier big band in the portfolio of the Gateshead Music Service performed with distinction at the recent Great North Big Band Jazz Festival. The programme at the Sage included The Chicken, Theme from Bullitt and Birdland. The seven-strong saxophone section comprised no fewer than six talented female musicians. It is to be hoped that they continue to make their way in the jazz world. 
Tees Valley Youth Big Band boasted a powerful trumpet section and  tackled a challenging arrangement of Herbie Hancock’s Chameleon
The third band to take the stage in the magnificent Hall One at the Sage was Jambone. The band, based at the Norman Foster designed facility, boasts some of the very best young musicians from the north east (some drawn from the ranks of Paraffernalia and Tees Valley Youth Big Band) and has the privilege of working with many of the jazz world’s greatest musicians (workshop and in concert). Woody Herman’s Apple Honey works every time - instant impact, a ‘rabble rouser’ without a doubt! The short set concluded with Andy Sheppard’s Gas and Air. The finale brought together all three bands (about sixty musicians) for a blast on Dog House and Live and Let Die.
Where next? A swift walk over the Swing Bridge, up Castle Stairs to the Bridge Hotel in time to catch the second set from Legohead. The trio played some new material (Military Medal and John to name but two) and threw in a couple of old favourites (and they have become favourites) in Clocks and Getaway Driver. The band’s debut CD is in the can and a CD launch gig is sure to follow soon. Two confirmed dates for the diary: next week Sunday 8 April - Splinter @ The Bridge presents Greg Spero, Andy Champion and Adrian Tilbrook. On Sunday 15 July Jambone have a spot at the prestigious Manchester Jazz Festival.
 Russell

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