Bebop Spoken There

David Bailey (photographer): ''When I was 16 I wanted to look like Chet Baker. He was my idol - him and James Dean.'' (Talking Pictures documentary : Four beats to the bar and no cheating April, 2026)

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

18429 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 293 of them this year alone and, so far this month (April 13 ) 27,

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

From This Moment On

April

Wed 15: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 15: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 15: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 16: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: Jewish Musicians/Composers/Vocalists.
Thu 16: Sleep Suppressor + Silk Road + So Anne So @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £10.00., £8.00., £6.00.
Thu 16: Fourpenny Rabbits @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Fri 17: Russ Morgan Quartet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £8.00. 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: Ben Crosland Quartet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. £12.96 (inc. bf) online; £15.00 on the door. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.

Sat 18: Bright Street Big Band @ Washington Arts Centre. 6:30pm. £12.00. Swing dance sessions + Bright Street Big Band 7:30-8:15pm & 8:45-9:30pm.
Sat 18: Glenn Miller & Big Band Spectacular @ The Phoenix Theatre, Blyth. 7:30pm. £27.00 (inc. bf).

Sun 19: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Trio + Lara Hopper.
Sun 19: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. £12.00., £10.00.
Sun 19: Straight to Tape @ The Tyne Bar, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Edd Carr, Jonathan Proud, John Hirst. Blues trio.
Sun 19: Graham Hardy’s Eclectic Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £7.00.

Mon 20: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 20: Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00. Stockdale, Mick Shoulder, Abbie Finn.

Tue 21: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Victoria & Albert Inn, Seaton Delaval NE25 0AT. Tel: 0191 237 3697. Tickets: £14.00. ‘Pie & Pea Lunch’.
Tue 21: Neil Cowley Trio @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm. £29.00., £26.00., £23.00.
Tue 21: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels (guitar); Paul Grainger (double bass); Jack Littlewood (drums).

Friday, May 04, 2012

Lickety Split @ The Lit and Phil

Conte Candoli (tpt); Frank Rosolino (tmb); Bud Shank (alt); Richie Kamuca (ten); Russ Freeman (pno); Monty Budwig (bs); Barney Kessel (gtr); Shelly Manne (dms).
OK so that wasn't the real line-up but close your eyes and it could have been!
Actually it was Kevin Eland (tpt/flug); Eddie Bellis (tmb); John Hudson (ten); Alan Marshall (alt); Bill Brittain (pno); Alan Rudd (bs); Roy Willis (gtr); Paul Wight (dms) who created the illusion that we were hearing  a band from LA when in fact it was pure home grown talent!
Lickety Split have found a niche that was screaming out to be filled. Screaming out to be filled by an audience that neither wanted to be Taken Back to New Orleans nor had any inclination to view life On The Outside.
LS (silly name does nothing to pull the audience they aim at) has some great soloists - each and every one comparable with their LA counterparts. The arrangements are terrific (including a couple by Sunderland's Ray Chester).
The walls of the room are bedecked with portraits of bygone statesmen - dour, unforgiving gentlemen from days of yore (or should it be wor in Newcastle?) frowning upon these musical infidels who dare to infiltrate this holy of holy's. When Kev Eland blew some notes that their current MD Gabriel could only .dream about I swear the portraits smiled.
Archangels Hudson and Marshall descended and promptly took us back to the promised land where jazz and music were once equals. Bellis is a welcome addition to the local trombone ranks and his mic. technique is bumblingly effective - rather like Chris Barber's!
Nice to hear some Roy Willis guitar solos - too long he's been the unsung hero of  many a rhythm section but not tonight - Tonight there was a tide in the affairs of Roy.which, taken at the flood, led on to (musical) fortune; Roy took it at the flood with both hands and a plectrum.
Bass and drums kept it all together - Rudd playing Miles' All Blues could earn him a Maine Street Jazzmen ASBO!
Paul on drums - great.
On a downer, although the Lit and Phil was reasonably well attended, only Russell, Jim McD and myself were from the regular "Jazz Community" - the others being L and P members who probably turn out to support whatever event is being held.
Well, this was the missing jazzers' loss as, not only was the music great but pint bottles of Wylam Ale were only £2.50!
An 8 piece bebop band and beer at £2.50? Roll over Dizzy tell Bird the news.
Lance.

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