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Bebop Spoken There

Van Morrison: ''Basically, I'm coming from jazz. Not pop, not rock, not what's commercial. That's where I started, and that's still where I am. I feel the same as I did when I was listening to Louis Armstrong, Lead Belly, Jelly Roll Morton''. (The Northern Echo, 12 June 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

1803759 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 480 of them this year alone and, so far, 58 this month (June 18).

From This Moment On ...

JUNE 2025

Thu 19: Gareth John & the SOS Big Band @ The Forum Music Centre, Darlington. 7:00pm. £25.00. CANCELLED!

Fri 20: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 20: David Gray's Flextet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 20: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. £21.50. ‘Time After Time’.
Fri 20: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm.
Fri 20: King Bees @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. Superb Chicago blues band.

Sat 21: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 21: Red Kites Jazz @ Staithes Café, Dunston. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Sat 21: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 22: Phoenix 4 @ Wallington, Northumberland. 12 noon-1:00pm & 2:00-3:00pm. Tel: 01670 773606. National Trust admission prices apply. ‘Tunes in the Blooms’.
Sun 22: Lapwing Trio @ Wallington, Northumberland. 1:00-2:00pm. Tel: 01670 773606. National Trust admission prices apply. ‘Tunes in the Blooms’.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Jason Isaacs Trio @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 4:00pm. £18.00. + £1.08 bf.
Sun 22: JazzMain @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 23: MSK Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance.
Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club (1:00pm). Free.

Tues 24: ???

Wed 25: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 25: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 25: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 25: The Magpies of Swing @ The Roxy, Leadgate, Co. Durham. 7:30pm. A Ginger Jitterbugs swing dance event, all welcome.

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, August 04, 2012

Blues on the River - West Jesmond Rhythm Kings Riverboat Shuffle

Brian Chester (tmb); Roly Veitch (bjo); Phil Rutherford (sousa); Mike Durham (tpt/vcl); Derek Fleck (clt).
(Review by Lance)
Bourbon Street Parade got us cruising down the river and what a lovely cruise it was - despite the lack of real ale! 
We were passing St. Peter's Basin Marina - that yuppie haven. The yachts may not have been exactly Monte Carlo but they had the edge on Hebburn Marina, a few miles down river and when the band blew When My Dreamboat Comes Home, it, somehow, seemed appropriate.
One of our contributors was drinking Swedish Cider - perhaps an act of homage to the Anglo-Swedish Boiler Repair Company whose logo dominated a stretch of the river. Mike Durham was singing Everybody Loves My Baby as we approached that part of the River Tyne that was once wall to wall shipyards - where did they all go to? In the Olympics, China was leading the medal table.
Tishomingo Blues took us downstream where verdant pastures contrasted with bland, faceless industrial units. What went on behind these walls? Were we creating weapons of mass destruction? a Germ Warfare program or maybe just a council funded Cannabis Farm.
We kicked off with Bourbon Street Parade and, lo and behold, a moored container ship - The Bourbon Front!
Mike sang Too Busy - my favourite version of this is by Kay Starr and I hope Mike will forgive me for saying, it still is! 
The scenery continued to unfold - our rugged industrial heritage, Willington Quay Boat Club, more green pastures and Call Centres.
The sad sight of North Shields Fish Quay...
The band took a break, the boat turned around. 
After experimenting with John Smith's, Budweisser and Stella, I returned to JS and WJRK played Jazz Me Blues.
The return journey took in the other side of the river - When You and I Were Young Maggie - brought memories of when I was young(er) and the landmarks that are now long gone.
Tiger Rag - this is what I love about jazz - almost a hundred years on - bands are still playing Tiger Rag. I wonder if any of today's original compositions will be played a Hundred Years From Today. I doubt it but, I'll betcha, and this is a bet neither of us can lose or win because we won't be here to collect, but, a hundred years from today, somebody will be playing A Hundred Years From Today  so, don't save your kisses just spread them around...
A fireworks display greeted our return to Newcastle and for some time we were encapsulated by that strange magnetism that fireworks can have for us. 
The Bridges Festival and The Sage had done us proud
Lance.

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