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Bebop Spoken There

Kurt Elling: ''There's something to learn from every musician you play with''. (DownBeat, December 2024).

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

17630 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 904 of them this year alone and, so far, 49 this month (Dec. 20).

From This Moment On ...

December

Thu 26: The Boneshakers @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. The 17th annual Boneshakers’ Shindig.

Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free. Business as usual!.
Fri 27: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 27: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sat 28: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 11:30am. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 28: Fri 20: Castillo Nuevo @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 28: Jude Murphy, Rich Herdman & Giles Strong @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 28: Ray Stubbs R & B All-Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Stepney Bank, Newcastle. 9:00pm. Free.

Sun 29: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 29: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 30: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Wheatsheaf, Benton Sq., Whitley Road, Palmersville NE12 9SU. Tel: 0191 266 8137. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 30: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.

Tue 31: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 12 noon-2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Tue 31: Lapwing Trio @ Wallington (National Trust), Cambo, Morpeth NE61 4AR. 12 noon & 2:00pm. Admission to site £19.00.
Tue 31: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Tue 31: Archie Brown & Friends @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00-8:00pm. Free.

January 2025

Wed 01: ???

Thu 02: ???

Fri 03: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 03: John Gregory @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar.

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, December 30, 2012

From Paul Bream's Jazz Alert

Over the past few years I've generally begun the end-of-year ‘Alert’ with a despairing look at the political and financial state of the world, turning to jazz as the consolation that might, from time to time, bring some light to the gloom and make the wish for ‘A Happy New Year’ not entirely futile.
The picture’s no better this year, but concern at the wider canvas has been overtaken today by the sad news of the death of Keith Crombie, owner, proprietor, and chucker-out in chief at Newcastle’s Jazz Café. (I have personal experience of this, having once been refused entry on the whimsical grounds that I looked too old, which seemed pretty ironic coming from a man who had the appearance of Methuselah.) 

That unpredictability of mood was an essential component of Keith’s character, part of the package, and most of the tributes that have already appeared on various blogs make some reference to him as “gruff” and “abrupt”. It’s true that he could be extremely spiky, especially in his relationships with other jazz promoters, whom he appeared to regard as part of a malign establishment conspiracy. But as recently as a month ago he was talking about the possibility of collaborating with Jazz North East, recognising that in these straitened times we all of us in the jazz community need to support each other.
And that’s the real key to what Keith believed in – a profound love of jazz, and the importance of keeping alive a scene that would give musicians the opportunity to play and develop, and audiences the opportunity to hear them on a regular basis. Sustaining the Jazz Café for twenty years was a massive achievement, and we all owe Keith a debt of gratitude for his insurmountable, if sometimes cussed, determination. And the best way we can repay that debt is by continuing his work, possibly at the Jazz Café itself (and it would be good if a way can be found to keep it going), and certainly through re-committing ourselves to supporting the music in every way that we can, whether as promoters, musicians, or audience members.
So let’s all make it a New Year’s resolution to support live jazz in all its many forms, by getting along to gigs wherever they happen, and ensuring the continuing health of the wonderful music that has inspired Keith Crombie and so many others.
A Happy New Year to you all.   
Paul Bream.

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