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Bebop Spoken There

Trevor Mires: ''My mum is a Dean Martin fan: I'm not, so I would grab my skateboard and get out of the house whenever I heard "Everybody Loves Somebody, Sometime." ". (Jazzwise, 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

17972 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 293 of them this year alone and, so far, 49 this month (April 22).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Fri 25: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT! Duo performance.
Fri 25: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 25: Andrea Vicari Trio @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. Vicari (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); Russ Morgan (drums).
Fri 25: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 25: Red Kites Jazz @ Land of Oak & Iron, Winlaton Mill. 6:00-9:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Fri 25: Struggle Buggy @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. Rhythm & blues.
Fri 25: Paul Skerritt Big Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £20.30., £18.00. All-star big band.
Fri 25: Andrea Vicari Trio @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Vicari (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); Russ Morgan (drums). An Opus 4 Jazz Club event.

Sat 26: Durham Alumni Big Band @ Number One Bar, Darlington. 12 noon. Free (donations).
Sat 26: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 26: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ Elvet Methodist Church, Durham. 7:30pm. Tickets: £12.00. + bf. Duo performance.
Sat 26: Neil Cowley Trio @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £22.50.
Sat 26: Pete Tanton & the Cuban Heels @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 27: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 27: Andrea Vicari Trio @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. Vicari (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Sun 27: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 27: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Xenopoulos, Edis, Paul Susans, Russ Morgan.
Sun 27: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 27: JustKing Jones @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £17.50. JustKing Jones (alto sax, soprano sax); Jordan Williams (piano); Jason Clotter (bass); Malcolm Charles (drums). Ace NYC outfit!
Sun 27: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 27: Swing Manouche @ Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7:30pm. £15.00. Tickets from 01665 711388.
Sun 27: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Xenopoulos, Edis, Ken Marley, Russ Morgan.

Mon 28: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 29: ???

Wed 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 30: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 30: International Jazz Day @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £16.00.; £14.00. adv.. Feat. Guido Spannocchi, John Pope & Steve Hanley + Take it to the Bridge participants + Open Mic Night participants.

MAY 2025

Thu 01: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Member’s Contribution.
Thu 01: Alabaster de Plume @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Thu 01: Living in Shadows + OUTRI @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Thu 01: The Shayo Experiment @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Shayo Oshodi & Liam Oliver.
Thu 01: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. 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, April 15, 2013

Listening to Louis on Radio 2

Listening to the BBC archive recording of Humph and Wynton Marsalis talking about Louis Armstrong.
Very interesting. they also pose the question of favourite Louis recordings. so here are mine.
Hot Five: Cornet Chop Suey. This told me he could get around the horn. (I was 15 year old playing 3rd cornet in a brass band and it hit me that this guy could carve our solo cornet with ease!).
Interestingly, Humph and Wynton talk about South Shields cornet maestro George Swift who died in 1985. One wonders if jazz really began in South Shields?
Orchestra: Swing That Music. Now on trumpet and singing, this was, for me, the best of the often maligned big band recordings.
All Stars (Teagarden): The New York Town Hall Concert the gig that told the world that Louis was back in Jazzland.
All Stars (Trummy): Satch Plays W.C. Handy. Possibly the greatest version of St. Louis Blues ever!
Vocal: A Kiss to Build a Dream on can't be beat.
Maybe you'd like to suggest some of yours.
Lance.
Available here for 7 days.

4 comments :

Roly said...

My favourite, among all the gems, is the 1928 duet with Earl Hines 'Weather Bird'. Other favourites - Savoy Blues 1927 with the great Lonnie Johnson. 1947 All Stars with Teagarden 'Stars Fell on Alabama' possibly one of the most moving tracks in all of jazz?

Miles said...

Hi Lance yes I heard it, it was great, as for favourites where do I start he never made a bad record.
Hotter Than That - Hot Five with Lonnie Johnson.
Jack Armstrong Blues - All Stars with Jack Teagarden.
When You're Smiling - Autobiography LP. (Reserved for my funeral.)
Stars Fell On Alabama - Ella & Louis.
What A Wonderful World - Even as an old man still turning dross into gold.

CCJAZZMEN said...

Hi Lance, now this is a hard one so much good stuff out there.

1) Cornet Chop Suey (Rec 1926) (The Hot Five)
This is a recording that any young aspiring jazz trumpet player should listen and learn from, it's all there, and Louis way ahead of his time, no one else was playing like this at that time.

2) When Your Smiling (Rec 1929) (His Orchestra)
Once again Louis playing things here, that no one else was doing, that last chorus out, where he is playing those fat top E's and holding the melody up an octave, is difficult to sustain to this day.

3) Back O'Town Blues (Rec 1947) (The All Stars)
From the town hall concerts, with Jack Teagarden, this recording reminds me so much of some of the things I have to deal with at Ned Kelly's, just listen to how Louis put's the heckler in his place, (Shut Up "Boy") absolute magic, plus a great vocal from Louis, wonderful atmosphere and fun.

4) Ella & Louis (Rec 1956)
This is a wonderful album, and sounds as fresh today, as if it was recorded just recently, two of the top entertainers of their time, and a great rhythm section with Oscar Peterson.

5) For this Lance I agree with you,for his output in the 1960's, I would have to go with Give Me A Kiss to Build A Dream On, this and What A Wonderful World are still very popular in Hong Kong with many young people, and every night we get requests for both, but for me it is A Kiss To Build A Dream On.

Colin Aitchison
Bandleader
Ned Kelly's Last Stand
Hong Kong.

DAVE kERR said...

Hi Lance,
It is very difficult to make a choice but probably my favourite solo is the two twelve bar choruses in Savoy Blues recorded late at night after presumably a long night playing a gig.
Also do not overlook his early efforts with Fletcher Henderson he plays a wonderful solo on Why Couldn't It Be Poor little Me.
From the 193O's his huge out put makes it almost impossible to select but I always loved the relaxed playing on Song Of The Islands.

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