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Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: '' A Love Supreme coincided with my search for meaning in life". (DownBeat, March 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

17873 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 194 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (March 14).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30pm-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 22: Swamp Stomp String Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Sat 22: Rivkala @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sun 23: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 23: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Mississippi MacDonald @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. Blues.
Sun 23: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: The Great Deceivers @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Tom Atkinson & co play King Crimson (1969-1974). Atkinson (guitar); Josh Bentham (alto sax); Stu Dawson (bass); Jeff Armstrong (drums).

Mon 24: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 24: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 25: Fred Wesley & the New JB’s @ The Cluny. 7:30pm (doors). £27.50. POSTPONED! New date Wednesday 26 November.

Wed 26: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 26: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 26: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 27: Hannabiell & Midnight Blue @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 27: Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Superb blues duo.

Fri 28: Giles Strong Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00 SOLD OUT!.
Fri 28: Spilt Milk @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £8.00.
Fri 28: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Old Cinema Laundrette, Durham. 7:45pm.
Fri 28: Sue Ferris Quintet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £10.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 28: Mostly Moonlight @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Fri 28: Juliana Day & Manon McCoy @ Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00.; £10.00. advance. JNE.

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

Thursday, April 05, 2012

Strictly Smokin' Big Band @ Hoochie Coochie

Jamie Toms, Matthew Forster (alt); Paul Gowland, James Trippett (ten); Laurie Rangecroft (bar); Gordon Marshall', Michael Lamb, Joe Taylor, Tom Hill (tpt); Mark Ferris,  Alex Leathard, Don Fairley, Mr John Flood (tmb); Chris Finch (pno); Pawel (Pav) Jedrzejewski (gtr); Michael Whent (gtr); Guy Swinton (dms); Steph Adams, James Hedley (vcl). + Daniel Johnson (gtr) on Diggin' on James Brown.
The beauty of Hoochie Coochie's Thursday night sessions is the infinite variety offered week by week. Tonight saw the début of the Strictly Smokin' boys (and girl) who lifted the roof off with a timely and varied selection of big band numbers. Not ground-breaking stuff by any means but tried and tested scores that showed both soloists and sections off to advantage.
Steph Adams got the show on the road with a Nelson Riddle-like arrangement of I've Got You Under My Skin. She sounded a little nervous on this one - a feeling that vanished as the night went on.
The band scorched some earth on Hay Burner, Thad Jones' Big Dipper and the perennial arrangement of Love For Sale. Solos from Leader Lamb, Paul Gowland, Joe Taylor, Jamie Toms and Chris Finch (who has been known to contribute to these pages) kept the pot boiling.
Steph returned for a rousing Straighten Up and Fly Right - no hesitancy on this one - the girl had done what the title implied and was soaring. Gordon Marshall was up there with her.
Lamb featured himself on Summertime soloing with a delicately muted, economical selection of notes.
Avenue C took the Basie classic on a whirlwind ride before Steph returned for Orange Coloured Sky. I've loved this number since I first heard it by Nat Cole and the girl and the band did it justice.
"Boy" singer James Hedley did The Mood I'm In - a nice jazz waltz - and Bublé's It's A New Day.
These were but a few of the highlights - to list them all would take ten pages! Diggin' on James Brown had some funky guitar from Daniel Johnson. Easy Street was cool and relaxed with a nice piano intro from Chris,
I Won't Dance had the vocalists duetting as they had at GIJF whilst Moanin' with some high note work from Hill - not Mick but his grandson Tom - solos from Gowland (outstanding all evening), Lamb, Chris and Pav hit the right groove.
My apologies for not mentioning everyone - the altos and second tenor had some good blasts as did the trombones and the packed Hoochie crowd loved it.
Nice one.
Lance.
Learn more about the band at www.strictly-smokin.co.uk. 

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