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Bebop Spoken There

George Porter Jr.: ''To me, syncopation is like jazz. It wasn't meant for the masses. It was meant just for a hip few". (DownBeat, May 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

18043 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 364 of them this year alone and, so far, 42 this month (May 15).

From This Moment On ...

MAY 2025

Fri 16: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 16: Sophie Speed with the Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 16: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 16: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 16: Giles Strong Quartet @ Longframlington Memorial Hall. 7:00pm (doors). Tickets: £12.00. from 01665 570984.
Fri 16: Hot Club du Nord @ St Cuthbert’s Centre, Crook. 7:30pm. £10.00.
Fri 16: Peter Donegan & Anthony Donegan @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 7:30pm. ‘Lonnie Donegan - The Stories’.

Sat 17: Teresa Watson Band @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Blues.
Sat 17: The Society Quartet @ Hilton Garden Inn, Sunderland. 6:00pm. Tel: 0191 500 9494. £26.00 (inc. two course meal). Line-up: Jason Holcomb, Hannah Taylor, Alix Shepherd & Abbie Finn.
Sat 17: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 17: Archie Brown & the Young Bucks @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Rhythm & blues, Americana etc.
Sat 17: Bellavana @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30-10:00pm. Free. A Late Shows event.
Sat 17: Rockin’ Turner Brothers @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Rockabilly, Western swing etc.

Sun 18: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 12 noon-2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 18: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 18: Ruth Lambert & Giles Strong @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 18: Steve Summers Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 19: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 19: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 20: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, Bailey Rudd.
Tue 20: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Pleased to Meet You, Bridge St., Morpeth NE61 1ND. 8:00pm.

Wed 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 21: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public). b Wed 21: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 22: Nuevo Castillo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £5.00.
Thu 22: Anna Reay & Deon Krishnan @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:30-9:15pm. Free.
Thu 22: Pedal Point Trio @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

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, June 17, 2012

The Tea Pad's Sunshine Medicine show - 2012 Cumberland Arms

(Review by Lance).
Do you remember that Bing Crosby song - It's June in January? Well today it was January in June! It was that cold sitting in the grounds of the Cumberland Arms in Byker. Nevertheless, the music made up for it.
The Sour Mash Trio gave a solid country set with more than a hint of Rock 'n' Roll that went down well - as did the Geordie Jazz Ale!
As the stage was prepared for the next act, the Swing 8 DJs gave us some Benny Goodman, Al Bowlly singing You're a Sweetheart and some Sidney Bechet before Lady Koo and the Kooky Kitchen (pictured) took to the stage.
Lady K, dressed as a 1920's sporty type, was suddenly, Ruth Etting, Babs Streisand, Annette Hanshaw and several other flapperettes. but, most of all, she was herself.
French chanson, Finnish folk, American songbook, an original and a number that was pure George Melly - I Didn't Like It The First Time... I've just been listening to a couple of tracks by Lady K - Occidental Woman and Ten Cents a Dance - what a great gal. Not that the others in the band are slouches. Guitar, violin, bass but this woman is absolutely superb!
More DJ Swing then it was time for Rob Heron and the Tea Pad Orchestra to keep in the game.
Lady Koo had dressed in '20s tennis gear, Rob Heron was in '30s golfing gear and the band birdied and eagled their way through Cajun and Gypsy, Country and Folk and good old R 'n' R. The Dixie Six horns joined them prior to  their own set.
T.J Muller and the Dixie Horns are from Edinburgh and are amazingly young. So young they look incapable of absorbing the traditional jazz legacy. Yet they have done it brilliantly opening up with the Crosby/Armstrong number from High Society - Now You Has Jazz. They also added a high flying take on some unlikely numbers - The Kinks' Sunny Afternoon being typical. I just loved it.
I was unable to hang around for the Cow Tippers of Kentucky set which I wanted to as Hannah Rickard is always good to hear.
Hannah and Tim Bloomer by the way...
A splendid afternoon/early evening that even the British temperatures couldn't spoil - what do you expect? It's still only June!.
Photos.
Lance.

1 comment :

Lady Koo said...

Lady Koo says BIG thank you for Rob who organised this fab event + all the other acts who were great! and last but not least, had a great time performing thanks to NortEast audience that is simply the best! Bebop Spoken ,thank you! www.facebook.com/pages/Lady-Koo-and-The-Kooky -Kitchen

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