Bebop Spoken There

Ron Carter quoting Sonny Rollins: ''What we call jazz - that's keeping the world in equilibrium. I don't care what kind of music you like out here today. It all comes from jazz.'' (DownBeat August, 2026)

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

18799 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 663 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 12) 32.

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

From This Moment On

August

Sun 16: Vintage Explosion @ Cliffe Park, Roker, Sunderland SR6 8DB. 5:00-10:30pm. £44.00 (inc. bf).

Mon 17: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 20: Edson Angus Quartet @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 20: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Fri 21: Andrzej Baranek Trio @ The Lit & Phil. 1:00pm. £8.00. Andrzej Baranek (piano); Josh Cavanagh-Brierley (double bass); Dave Walsh (drums). SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 21: David Gray Flextet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.
Fri 21: Errol Linton & His Band + Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. Excellent blues double bill.

Sat 22: Durham Alumni Big Band + Durham Alumni All Stars + Swing Manouche @ Darlington Market Place. From 1:00pm. Free. The All Stars (1:00pm); The Alumni (2:00-4:00pm); Swing Manouche (4:15pm).

Friday, December 14, 2012

Strictly Smokin' Big Band @ Hoochie Coochie Thursday December 13.

Michael Lamb, Pete Tanton, Tom Hill, Gordon Marshall (tpts); Alex Leathard, Mark Ferris, Robert 'Pez' Perez, Mr. John Flood (tmbs); Jamie Toms, Nadiah Killick(alt), Paul Gowland, Alan Marshall (ten), Laurie Rangecroft (bar); Chris Finch (pno); (bs); Pawel  Jedrzejewski (gtr); Guy Swinton (dms); Steph Adams, James Hedley (vcl).
(Review by Lance).
I'm pleased to say that they are still smokin' - breathing fire down their horns - and tonight, despite the Christmas theme, this was an evening that swung from the word go.

I missed the opening number but arrived just as Steph gave out with a spirited Wonderwall. A-Tisket-a-Tasket sung a la the youthful Ella followed. In between, the band played an impressive arrangement of Between The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea featuring Alex Leathard on trombone. 
More Steph with Time After Time then a real blockbuster of an arrangement of Body and Soul. This featured Paul Gowland on tenor. A slow, rhapsodic, chorus then POW! It became an up-tempo assault with Paul in full flight leading the charge and the brass playing Kenton/Herman type figures behind him before returning to the original tempo. This was quite an experience!
James Hedley arrived to sing Ain't That a Kick in the Head before teaming up with Steph for Baby It's Cold Outside. The blonde bombshell stayed on stage for a soulful Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. The set finished with the dynamic duo Walking My Baby Back Home.
The London Pride replenished, It was time to Keep On Keepin' On and tenor solos from Alan Marshall and Gowland did just that. One Note At a Time and a nice piano solo from Chris Finch indicated his damaged hand had healed. More Marshall tenor and great trumpet from Tanton.
The singers did Things and James sang Our Love is Here to Stay. This had some Sweets Edison style trumpet from Leader Lamb.
There was more, much more, Jamie Toms alto, Pete Tanton's flugel, the unpronounceable guitarist and, most importantly, the precision of the section work which was tight yet with the looseness that is so essential to making a band swing. Down in The Galley they were really cooking but these were no turkeys but geese that goosed the band to greater heights.
Catch them again at Cluny 2 on December 22.
Photos.
Lance.
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