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

Thu 13: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 13: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 13: 58 Jazz Collective @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Stranton, Hartlepool. 8:00pm. Free. CANCELLED! Back on Aug. 27.
Thu 13: 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 14: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 14: John Settle Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. John Settle (vibes); Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 14: Bold Big Band @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £8.00 + bf.

Sat 15: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 15: Jake Leg Jug Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £16.26.

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.

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Debra Milne Ensemble @ Hoochie Coochie

Debra Milne (vcl); Steve Glendinning (gtr); Paul Susans (bs); Rob Bates (dms).
Debs has got herself a nice little combo here. Even with (even with!) Paul Susans depping for Mick Danby it is a tight little unit. Debra herself looked stunning in a mini dress - can this slip of a girl really have grown up children? She surely does and, since I first heard her, her stage presence and confidence have grown enormously.
Tonight, in her inimitable style, numbers we heard included; There Will Never Be Another You, No Mo Blues, Close Your Eyes, Killer Joe. A couple of originals by Steve and Debra - Stay and Don't Come Round Here Any More - and Horace Silver's Senor Blues.
It was a good set with some stunning solos by Steve Glendinning and Paul Susans - perhaps the north east's most underrated bass player.
The London Pride was renewed and Happy New Years exchanged all-round before the second set got under way with Tell Me What's Really Going On? A duo number with just vocal and guitar. Bass and drums returned to set the scene for a sassier set that included Four, How Insensitive and Tom Waitts' Temptation. However, the evening's highlight was an original dedicated to the late Keith Crombie - Jazz Café. Appropriately enough it opened up with the descending introduction to Ray Charles' Hit The Road Jack! A good, meaningful lyric by Debra and a strong tune by Steve underpinned by bass and drums.
It had been a good evening and we left to the strains of Get Happy (with an altered lyric)
Kav was on hand to take photos.
Lance.

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