Bebop Spoken There

Art Blakey (to Terence Blanchard): ''You ain't Miles find your own shit to do!'' (DownBeat May, 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

18548 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 412 of them this year alone and, so far this month (May 19) 66

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

May

Mon 25: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 26: Noel Dennis Sextet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £12.00. A Miles Davis centenary concert (Davis b. 26. 5. 1926). Noel Dennis (trumpet); Harry Keeble (tenor sax); Dean Stockdale (piano); Mark Williams (guitar); Andy Champion (double bass); John Bradford (drums). SOLD OUT!
Tue 26: Lagos to Longbenton @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 27: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 27: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 27: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 27: Neighbourhood Watch + Rivkala @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £5.00. Rivkala (solo).

Thu 28: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 28: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: Miles Davis & His Favourite Musicians.
Thu 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 28: Bobby Rush @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £25.00. + bf. Veteran USA bluesman.
Thu 28: Squabble @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 28: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Fri 29: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 29: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.

Sat 30: Giles Strong Quartet @ Langley Tracks, Langley on Tyne NE47 5LA. 5:30pm (doors). £15.00 + £1.50 bf.

Sun 31: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 31: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 31: Sinfonia of London: Tea Dance @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 3:00pm. Free. John Wilson ensemble performing on the concourse. Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, George & Ira Gershwin & more.
Sun 31: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 31: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £3.76.
Sun 31: Joe Steels @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. Free (donations direct to the musicians). Joe Steels & Friends.
Sun 31: Ben Haskins Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00.

Friday, June 15, 2012

The Customs House Big Band w. Ruth Lambert @ Saville Exchange, North Shields. June 14.

Peter Morgan MD & bass trombone. Jill Brett, George Robinson, Alan Marshall, Amber Reeve Chris Kaberry, Saxes. Paul Riley Gledhill, , Kevin Eland, Jay Smith, Annette Butters, trumpets. Chris Kurji Smith, Gareth Weaver, Michael Fletcher, trombones. Bill Brittain, keyboard, Alan Smith, bass guitar, Roy Willis, guitar, Dave Francis, drums. Ruth Lambert, vocal.
(Review by Miles).
The CHBB pulled out all the stops again last night to a small but appreciative audience, one with quite a few musicians amongst it. Fifteen instrumentals and nine songs were played and enjoyed, one with audience participation, Basie's April In Paris. New ones to me were Clam Chowder, Switch In Time, Belavino Blues and a beautiful Quintessence by lead altoist Jill Brett.
Highspots for me were Kevin Eland's flugel horn feature Blue, an up tempo Take the A Train, Coconut Champagne, Hunting Wabbitts, Gordon Goodwin's take on Bugs Bunny which brought back memories of my younger days and Billy May's music for Puddy Tat et al. and C Jam Blues.
Ruth Lambert never disappoints, my favourites were My Heart Belongs to Daddy, Time After Time and At Last. Soloists throughout the show were Jill Brett, George Robinson, Alan Marshall, Amber Reeve, Chris Kurji Smith, Kevin Eland, Jay Smith, and the often overlooked but rock solid and swinging rhythm section.
The encore was a swinging Mack The Knife and it was nice that Ruth reinstated Polly Peachum in the lyrics instead of Satchmo's Lotte Lenya.
It is perhaps a little unfair to single anyone out but mention must be made of Alan Marshall's tenor solos swinging in the fast numbers and dreamy and melodic behind the vocals, but the hero of the night was Kevin Eland who has suffered a very sore bottom lip since last Sunday yet played in his Maynard mode things most trumpet players couldn't do with perfect chops.
A great night, looking forward to the next one.
Miles

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