Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: ''It was then that Coltrane came along and single-handedly brought this dimension of spirituality into jazz. It was a pivotal experience to me.'' (DownBeat September, 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

18957 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 821 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Sept. 30.) 100.

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

October.

Tue 06: Alan Law @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free. Alan Law (piano) w. Paul Grainger (double bass).
Tue 06: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Murray Oak, Paul Grainger, John Bradford.
Tue 06: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 06: Black is the Color of My Voice @ Northern Stage, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman stage play inspired by Nina Simone. First night of two.

Wed 07: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. Wed 07: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 07: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 07: Black is the Color of My Voice @ Northern Stage, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman stage play inspired by Nina Simone. Second night of two.

Thu 08: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 08: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free (donations).
Thu 08: Indigo Jazz Voices w. Little Big Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 09: Dean Stockdale Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. Dean Stockdale (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Fri 09: John Rowland Trio @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle.

Sat 10: Catfish Keith @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £19.00. + bf. Jumpin’ Hot Club.

Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free. Feat. guest Jack ‘Banjo’ Courtney (trumpet).
Sun 11: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Harry Christelis Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A Jazz Co-op-JNE co-promotion.

Mon 12: Jack Pearce Quintet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 12: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Sunday, June 16, 2013

Keith Nichols and the Swing City Trio @ Trinity Centre, Gosforth June 15.

Keith Nichols (pno/vcl); Steve Andrews (ten/sop/clt/vcl); Roly Veitch (gtr/vcl); Roy Cansdale (bs).
(Review by Lance. - photo on left supplied by Roly Veitch.)
The Swing City Trio went into a rhapsodic version of Darn That Dream with Andrews giving an unbroken rendition á la Coleman no, not Ornette, but the high and mighty Hawk filling the crowded room with his big sound.
The special guest of the evening took his place at the upright and immediately took his sugar to tea. When I Take my Sugar to Tea had the pianist singing and playing in a delightful 20's/30's style that told us we were in for a good evening of classic American song. Andrews appeared to be having problems with his soprano switching to clarinet mid way. Turns out one of the mother of pearl discs that connect finger to key had come adrift.
She's Funny That Way had a rare vocal by Andrews as well as some impressive clarinet.
And so the evening progressed. Some of These Days and Mississippi Mud saw the vocal chores back with Nichols. The trio left the stage and the piano man treated us to some ragtime (Heliotrope Rag) and stride (Numb Fumblin') plus some Italian nonsense about a Hoochie Coochie dancer in Coney Island!
The trio returned and Veitch had the vocal spotlight on Back in Your Own Backyard. The set finished with Hoagy's Jubilee (sounds like a real ale!).
It was good to see such an excellent turnout for what was the final concert arranged by the late Mike Durham.
Back to the music. Veitch sang What a Little Moonlight Can Do and Andrews hit pay dirt on clarinet with Moonlight in Vermont rightly pointing out that Moonlight in Egremont didn't have quite the same ring to it.
I've Gotta Right to Sing the Blues, I Wish I were Twins and a luscious version of Sophisticated Lady led to Nichols' second solo spot this time playing Nice Work if You Can Get it, Rosalie, It's Gonna Be You and Stardust.
We were in the home straight now with Nichols and Andrews duetting (piano and clarinet) on a section of Duke's Creole Rhapsody. Truckin', another vocal by Veitch (Stars Fell on Alabama) and finally It Don't Mean a Thing if it Ain't Got That Swing.
Using the latter title as a guideline then tonight's concert meant a lot!
How could it not with a master of classic piano, a superb multi instrumentalist, a fine guitarist and singer and a rock solid bassman?
Lance.
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