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

18146 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 24 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 7), 24

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

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.

Wed 14: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 14: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 15: Mark Toomey Quartet @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. Quartet + guest Paul Donnelly (guitar).

Fri 16: Giles Strong Quartet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
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: Darlington Big Band @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 16: Leeds City Stompers @ Billy Bootleggers, Newcastle. 9:00pm. 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

Saturday, July 21, 2012

The Puppini Sisters @ The Americana Festival, The Sage, Gateshead.

Marcello Puppini, Stephanie O'Brien, Kate Mullins (The "Puppini Sisters"); Blake Wilner (gtr); Henrik Jensen (bs); Pete? (dms).
Irrespective of what's been and what's to come - This Was It! 
Immaculately gowned and coiffured, the girls gave a stunning performance that, for me, was absolutely outstanding. 
The opener, Bei Mir Bist Du Schon, was inspired by - and possibly even eclipsed - the original Andrews Sisters version. That's how good it was. Was I In Love? (that was the tune's title and also the question I posed myself as these three lovely ladies strutted their stuff), Mr. Sandman (a fifties hit for The Chordettes) led to a take on Kay Starr's version of Side By Side. Kay did a multi track duet with herself back then and the girls simulated it superbly.
It Don't Mean A Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing - the first show-stopper.. The inspiration this time was provided by the greatest of all the early girl groups - The Boswell Sisters. If Connie Boswell had been around to hear this I swear she'd have leapt out of her wheelchair and joined in. Changes of mood and tempo plus snatches of Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby and Mambo Italiano made this something else!
I Feel Pretty and True Love eased the way for another Boswellian epic - Heebie Jeedbies. Was this the closer? No we had Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy From Company B as an encore. Wow! this was another classic. These girls don't just sing - they move and how! They can shake their butts better than almost anyone I know.
The accompanying group were absolutely right on the money and the girls themselves had some instrumental moments with Marcello playing accordion, Kate, glockenspiel and melodica and Stephanie, flute.
Next time let's have them back as headliners.
Lance.

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