Bebop Spoken There

Emma Rawicz: "In a couple of years I've gone from being a normal university student to suddenly being on international stages." DownBeat January 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

18246 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 100 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 31), 100

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Wed 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 04: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 04: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 05: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject:Times of the Day & Trios.
Thu 05: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Special guest Emma Wilson.
Thu 05: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 06: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 06: Durham Alumni Big Band & Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn Theatre. 7:30pm. £12.00. Two big bands on stage together!
Fri 06: Nauta + Littlewood Trio @ Little Buildings, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Double bill + jam session.
Fri 06: FILM: Made in America @ Star & Shadow Cinema, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Ornette Coleman.
Fri 06: Deep Six Blues @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm.

Sat 07: The Big Easy @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 07: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30-3:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 07: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. St Thomas & Bésame Mucho. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 07: Side Cafe Oᴙkestar @ Café Under the Spire, Gateshead. 6:30pm. Table reservations: 0191 477 3970.
Sat 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 08: Swing Tyne @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12 noon (doors). Donations. Swing dance taster class (12:30pm) + Hot Club de Heaton (live performance). Non dancers welcome.
Sun 08: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 09: Mark Williams Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 09: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 10: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

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

Monday, February 18, 2013

Claire Kelly Trio @ The Bridge Sunday February 17.

Claire Kelly (vcl); Mark Williams (gtr); Neil Harland (bs).
(Review by Lance)
Not so long ago, Claire Kelly was the ingénue of our local larynx ladies. Not any more! Recent performances - and particularly tonight's - show that she can hold her head high in any company.
Looking stunning in a red gown, she, paradoxically, opened up with Born to be Blue. Despite the clash of colour it was a fine interpretation and with solos by Mark and Neil it set the mark for what was a most enjoyable evening.
Claire prides herself on choosing unlikely material, which can have its pitfalls although not on this occasion I'm pleased to report. New Clichés was new to me but performed superbly. More familiar ground with What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life? with a sensitive guitar/vocal first chorus, my favourite Bossa - Aqua de Beber - Carmen McRae's Tiptoe Gently, an Arctic Monkey's number (honest!) and Everybody Wants to be a Cat.  
A pint of S.O.S went down well although there were no distress signals upstairs as the second set began with an up tempo Pagan Love Song - did they do it in 3? Can't remember now - must be the S.O.S. kicking in! Love, Blues Are Outta Town and a reference to a previous review on this site. Clare Fischer's Morning was a pleasant surprise. As a romantic gesture on Valentine's Day I drew attention to the inspiration behind the lyric. Fischer had lost his girl friend through her parent's disapproval and didn't get her back until 44 years later. It made for a great tune and lyric.
Mr. Ugly, done as a duet with Mark, is quite a poignant and touching song whilst No Moon At All, Claire told us, was inspired by her discovery that Mel Tormé had the edge on Michael Bublé - we've known that for years!
Keep on Waltzing, Out of Sight and Some of my Best Friends are Blues rounded off another splendid Splinter session.
Lance..

3 comments :

Anonymous said...

Everybody wants to be a cat was a little cheesy can't imagine the sensational Zoe Gilby going there.

Lance said...

So maybe - I am saying maybe - it had elements of the Gorgonzola - what's wrong with that? It's from an animated cartoon written by those great writers the Sherman Brothers.
Personally I thought Claire's performance was sensational just as was Zoe's the last time I heard her.
Of course everyone is entitled to their opinion but it carries more weight when they are prepared to back it up with their identity...

mark robertson said...

In 2010 Disney released a CD bearing the same name. The track listing incuded
Roy Hargrove,Esperanza,Spalding,Dave Brubeck and Joshua Redman.Seemed good enough for them and Louis Armsstong who recorded an album of Disney tunes in the 60's.Good enough for them good enough for me. You heard Jarrett play "wish upon a star?

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