Bebop Spoken There

Donovan Haffner ('Best Newcomer' 2025 Parliamentary Jazz Awards): ''I got into jazz the first time I picked up a saxophone!" - Jazzwise Dec 25/Jan 26

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

18122 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 1086 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Dec. 31), 100

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Wed 07: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 07: FILM: Blue Moon @ The Forum Cinema, Hexham. 2:00pm. Dir. Richard Linklater’s biopic of Lorenz Hart.
Wed 07: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 07: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 08: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: Jazz Milestones of 1976.

Fri 09: The House Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00.
Fri 09: Nauta @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Trio: Jacob Egglestone, Jamie Watkins, Bailey Rudd.
Fri 09: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Warren James & the Lonesome Travellers @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £15.00.
Fri 09: The Blue Kings @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £10.00. (£8.00. adv.). All-star band.

Sat 10: Mark Toomey Quintet @ St Peter’s Church, Stockton-on-Tees. 7:30pm. £12.00. (inc. pie & peas). Tickets from: 07749 255038.

Sun 11: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 12: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 12: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 13: Milne Glendinning Band @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00. Coquetdale Jazz.
Tue 13: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 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

Monday, July 30, 2012

Ray Dales w. The Jeremy McMurray Trio @ The Cherry Tree Restaurant

Ray Dales (alt); Jeremy McMurray (pno); Peter "Tubby" Ayton (bs); Mark Robertson (dms).
(Review by Lance.)
The Cherry Tree was very well booked tonight and the diners were in for both a gastronomical treat and a musical one too. What more could one ask for - don't answer that!
Ray Dales was minus his trade-mark hat tonight, opting for a rather flamboyant shirt that complemented his scintillating alto playing which had a piquancy comparable with my starter - Continental Charcuterie, Caponata and Grilled Ciabatta - which I ate to the tune of It Could Happen To You. Both went down a treat.
My Foolish Heart - is there a better ballad? Well of course there is but when you hear it you don't think so. Ray played with the passion such a song deserves and Jeremy too poured out his cardiacal imprudences with a sensitive solo.
My favourite Bavette Steak Fries, Garden Salad and Mustard coincided with my favourite bossa nova - Agua de Beber. Claire Kelly sang it on Saturday at the Jazz Café and now these guys were doing it - and doing it good.
They stayed in Latino Land for a couple of numbers that I didn't recognise, before a swinging Stella By Starlight and that most romantic of tunes, When Sunny Gets Blue, brought us up to half time and Elderflower Jelly with Rosewater Ice Cream.
The band sounded good with Ray and Jeremy on top form, Peter, who doesn't look that tubby, Ayton had moments to cherish whilst Mark behaved like all good drummers should behave in these situations - discreetly and sympathetically.
I only caught a couple of items in the second set but The Nearness of You was Jeremy at his balladic best whilst Dizzy's Manteca kept the 52nd St. flame burning. As I left Ray was blowing that Art Pepper/Frank Sinatra favourite Everything Happens To Me. I wanted to stay but The Metro beckoned, luring me into a hole in the ground - bit like Alice in Wonderland and, I must confess, our rapid transit system frequently has a few Mad Hatters aboard. Fortunately tonight wasn't one of those occasions so I was able to relax and reflect on an evening of good food and good music.
Lance.
at

No comments :

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments ( Atom )

Blog Archive