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Bebop Spoken There

Trevor Mires: ''My mum is a Dean Martin fan: I'm not, so I would grab my skateboard and get out of the house whenever I heard "Everybody Loves Somebody, Sometime." ". (Jazzwise, April 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

17957 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 278 of them this year alone and, so far, 34 this month (April 14).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Tue 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. Coquetdale Jazz.

Wed 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 23: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 23: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED!

Thu 24: Mary Coughlan @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £33.80. Blues, jazz etc.
Thu 24: Darlington Big Band @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 25: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT! Duo performance.
Fri 25: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 25: Andrea Vicari Trio @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. Vicari (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); Russ Morgan (drums).
Fri 25: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 25: Red Kites Jazz @ Land of Oak & Iron, Winlaton Mill. 6:00-9:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Fri 25: Struggle Buggy @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. Rhythm & blues.
Fri 25: Paul Skerritt Big Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £20.30., £18.00. All-star big band.
Fri 25: Andrea Vicari Trio @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Vicari (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); Russ Morgan (drums). An Opus 4 Jazz Club event.

Sat 26: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 26: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ Elvet Methodist Church, Durham. 7:30pm. Tickets: £12.00. + bf. Duo performance.
Sat 26: Neil Cowley Trio @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £22.50.
Sat 26: Pete Tanton & the Cuban Heels @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 27: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 27: Andrea Vicari Trio @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. Vicari (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Sun 27: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 27: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Xenopoulos, Edis, Paul Susans, Russ Morgan.
Sun 27: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 27: JustKing Jones @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £17.50. JustKing Jones (alto sax, soprano sax); Jordan Williams (piano); Jason Clotter (bass); Malcolm Charles (drums). Ace NYC outfit!
Sun 27: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 27: Swing Manouche @ Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7:30pm. £15.00. Tickets from 01665 711388.
Sun 27: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Xenopoulos, Edis, Ken Marley, Russ Morgan.

Mon 28: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 29: ???

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

Saturday, June 30, 2012

Strictly Smokin' Big Band - Blowing Up a Storm whilst Blowing in the Wind!


(Review by Lance).
Michael Lamb (md), Kevin Eland,Tom Hill, Joe Taylor (tpts); Michael Ferris, Peter Lavery, John flood, Pez Peres (tmbs); Alan Marshall, Nadiah Killick, (altos); Paul Gowland, Claude Werner (ten); Laurie Rangecroft (bar); Chris Finch (pno.) Pav (gtr); Michael Want (bs); Guy Swinton (dms). Angela Lyons James Hedley (vcl).
When Angela, depping for Steph, sang Too Darn Hot I couldn't help but think that this was the most inappropriate number for today! This was Newcastle in June - not Memphis. Nevertheless she sang it good and for a few brief moments the sun came out and it was at least warm.
The SSBB defied the winds which threatened to sweep the music sheets from the stands off into the unknown to play a couple of great sets. 
Set up beneath the arches of Byker Bridge in the pub smoking area - how appropriate was that?, the opening Night in Tunisia told us that they were up for it. Lady Be Good had a very well executed sax section chorus. The dynamics of this band are spot on and Big Dipper - is that a Jones/Lewis arrangement? - found a nice groove.
Leader Lamb took most of the trumpet solos playing very effectively within his comfort zone.
Paul Gowland is an awesome tenor player but so is Claude (and Alan Marshall who was on alto today) and it would have been good to have heard a little more from Chile's Ambassador For Jazz. My wish is for a Basie/Hampton tenor tear up between Paul and Claude - this would be the musical version of Ali-Frazier.
Angela looked good and sounded good - even Russell commented which tells you that she was something else. Straighten Up and Fly Right,  Slow Boat To China, Time After Time all done well. And of course the duet with James Hedley - I Won't Dance - such a great arrangement.
James did the Rat Pack thing brilliantly - Ain't That a Kick in The Head etc.
However, the instrumental number I enjoyed most was Jan Savitt's 720 in the Books. Never heard it for years - not since Alan Dell left the mortal airwaves - and, although it was, they said, their first public performance of this great number, they played it as well as the prevailing east winds would allow.
A great gig with good beer, company and great music. Get along to the Punchbowl to hear them on the last Thursday in the month - it's warmer in there!
Lance.

2 comments :

Liz said...

Ah! Alan Dell...how we all miss him, Sundays will never be quite the same again on Radio 2. The magic line up being Parky, Benny Green , Alan Dell..later on of course David Jacobs who is still on, but oh so late.I must make mention of Neil Foster who plays some great show tunes on BBC Radio York every sunday eve 7/9pm Enjoyed this review, you are so jazz rich up there
Liz

Russell said...

Chile's Ambassador For Jazz (aka Claude the Great)saved his contribution for the encore - Tito Puente's Oye Coma Va. Werner stood up and played it as only he can. I agree it would be something special to hear Claude and Paul Gowland in a blowing session. Perhaps at the Bridge or Hoochie Coochie.

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