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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, April 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

17923 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 244 of them this year alone and, so far, 91 this month (March 31).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Sun 06: Learning & Participation Showcase @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm (1:00pm doors). Free. Featuring participants from Play More Jazz! Play More Folk! Blue Jam Singers & more.
Sun 06: Joe Steels Group @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Ferg Kilsby, Joe Steels, Ben Lawrence, Paul Susans, John Hirst.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Hooch, Quayside, Newcastle. 6:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Sun 06: Leeway @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 07: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 07: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 08: ???

Wed 09: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 09: Tannery jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm.
Wed 09: Anatole Muster Trio @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £17.50., £12.50. concs.
Wed 09: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED?

Thu 10: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.CANCELLED!
Thu 10: Magpies of Swing @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £7.00. A Globe fundraiser (all proceeds to the venue).
Thu 10: Exhaust: Camila Nebbia/Kit Downes/Andrew Lisle @ Jesmond URC, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:30pm doors). £13.20., £11.00. JNE.
Thu 10: Jeremy McMurray & the Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Feat. guests Ray Dales & Jackie Summers.

Fri 11: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 11: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 11: John Rowland Trio: The Music of Ben Webster @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Rowland (tenor sax); Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass).
Fri 11: Imelda May @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 11: Shunyata Improvisation Group @ Cullercoats Watch House. 7:30-9:00pm. Free (donations).

Sat 12: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 12: Rob Heron & the Tea Pad Orchestra + House of the Black Gardenia + King Bees @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 6:30pm (doors). £18.00.
Sat 12: Bright Street Big Band @ Washington Arts Centre. 6:30pm. £12.00. Event includes swing dance taster session, DJ dance session. Bright Street Big Band on stage 7:30-8:15pm & 8:45-9:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Sat 12: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 12: Imelda May @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £42.20. SOLD OUT!
Sat 12: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

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

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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