Bebop Spoken There

Jools Holland (on his 2026 spring/summer tour): ''With the mighty [R&B] Orchestra, our wonderful boogie woogie singers, and the brilliant Joe Webb opening the shows [including Darlington Hippodrome, June 19], we're in for some very special evenings of music.'' The Northern Echo February 5, 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

18263 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 117 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Feb. 6), 17

From This Moment On ...

February

Sat 07: The Big Easy @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 07: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30-3:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 07: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. St Thomas & Bésame Mucho. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 07: Side Cafe Oᴙkestar @ Café Under the Spire, Gateshead. 6:30pm. Table reservations: 0191 477 3970.
Sat 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 08: Swing Tyne @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12 noon (doors). Donations. Swing dance taster class (12:30pm) + Hot Club de Heaton (live performance). Non dancers welcome.
Sun 08: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 09: Mark Williams Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 09: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 10: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 11: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington.. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 11: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 12: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 13: Noel Dennis Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm . £9.00. Dennis (trumpet, flugelhorn); Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 13: Joe Steels @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 13: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm.
Fri 13: Tom Remon & John Moriarty @ The Ship Isis, Silksworth Row, Sunderland SR1 3QJ. 7:00pm. £10.00 + £1.00 bf.

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

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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