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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

17,533 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 497 of them this year alone and, so far, 75 this month (June 23).

From This Moment On ...

JUNE 2025

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’.

Sat 28: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Linskill Centre, North Shields. 4:00-10:30pm. Free, but ticketed (over 18s only). A multi-bill, multi-genre ‘Canny Shiels - North Shields 800’ event. Three Kings Brewery on site.
Sat 28: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 28: Jude Murphy & Dan Stanley @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 29: Jude Murphy & Dan Stanley @ Wallington, Northumberland. 12 noon-1:00pm & 2:00-3:00pm. Tel: 01670 773606. National Trust admission prices apply. ‘Tunes in the Blooms’.
Sun 29: Bal Bruch Social Dance @ As You Like It, Sandyford, Newcastle. 12:30pm. Free. Dance event with Hot Club de Heaton performing live (2:00-3:00pm). A ‘Jar on the Bar’ event.
Sun 29: Glenn Miller Orchestra UK @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 3:00pm. Ray McVay & co.
Sun 29: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 29: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 29: Zoë Gilby w. Ryton Choral Society @ Corbridge Middle School NE45 5HX. 5:30pm. £15.00. Gilby w jazz trio & choir. ‘An evening of jazz song for choir’.
Sun 29: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 29: John Wilson & the Sinfonia of London @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. ‘Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Greatest Hits’.
Sun 29: Out Front @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. JNE.

Mon 30: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club (1:00pm). Free.

JULY 2025

Tue 01: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Mark Robertson.
Tue 01: Customs House Big Band @ Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 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

Sunday, May 06, 2012

Ruth Lambert Quartet. Ashington Jazz Club. Wednesday May 2.

Ruth Lambert (vcl); Graham Hardy (tpt/flug); Mark Williams (gtr); Andy Champion (bs); Tim Johnston (dms).
(Review by Peter S.)
The last visit of Ruth to Ashington Jazz Club sadly had to be cancelled due to severe winter conditions and our members have been waiting patiently for her return. Our patience was rewarded on Wednesday. with a visit that proved to be well worth the wait.
We often say that one swallow doesn’t make a Summer but the return of this song bird gave us all a feeling that warmer days could not be too far ahead. Unfortunately, with Newcastle AFC on the verge of glory at Chelsea (TV broadcast) and with some members basking in the sun of foreign shores, our attendance was reduced, but nevertheless this did not affect the quality of the evening performance.

Ruth has a number of musical influences including Carmen McCrae and Anita O’Day to name but two, which is evident in her voice and lyrical selections but overall it is the Ruth Lambert style and her interpretations of classical jazz numbers which always takes front stage and pleases her audiences.
Mark Williams (guitar) and Andy Champion (double bass) have a firm association as the rhythm section which blends so well with Ruth’s voice and their skillful musical accompaniment enhances her vocals. This evening she was joined by Graham Hardy on trumpet and flugel horn and his Miles D. technique in the background and in his imaginative solos prepared a musical spring board for the voice. A bonus was his movement between the brass instruments creating a variable canvas of Jazz.
This quartet felt at home with Classic lyrics, blues and Bosa Nova rhythms and variable tempos while the interplay between voice and instruments was real quality .Ruth’s vocal range is wide and very adaptable to the requirements of each melody and the poetry in the programme. We must not forget that it is the musicians art to deliver and interpret the story which may sometimes represent emotion in all its forms and Ruth and her boys do just that and do it well. I hope we don’t have to wait too long before the next visit. The members enjoyed every musical note. Best wishes from AJC
PROGRAMME: No Moon At All/ The Man I Love/ Blue Skies/ Time After Time (my personal favourite)/ Bossa Nova Without You/ Love Me Like a Man / How High the Moon/ Is You is or is You Ain't My Baby/ Skylark/ You'd Be So Nice to Come Home to/ Willow Weep For Me/ Beautiful Love/ One Note Samba / Gee Baby Ain’t I Good to You/ and finally..I Get a Kick Out of You/ Ruth and her boys were good to us - thank you all.
JUNE MEETING WEDNESDAY 6th. JUNE at 8.30 p.m. THE ELEPHANT –DON FAIRLEY’S FRIENDS OF JAZZ.
SEE YOU THERE ...
Peter S.

2 comments :

Anonymous said...

Whilst over-egged sycophantic and patronising reviews do not necessarily invalidate– this one makes me wonder if I attended the same gig!

Lance said...

Leave your name and our Ashington team will confirm if you did indeed attend this gig.

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