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

18219 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 73 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 24), 73

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Fri 30: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 30: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 30: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 30: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 30: Pete Roth Trio @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Feat. Bill Bruford.
Fri 30: Jive Aces @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm.
Fri 30: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Northern Edge Coffee, Silver St., Berwick. 7:00pm.
Fri 30: Dan Coulthurst Quintet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £10.00 + £1.00. bf (www.wegottickets.com). Coulthurst (trumpet); Joel Steadman (bass clarinet, flute); Nico Widdowson (piano); Fergus Quill (double bass); Theo Goss (drums).

Sat 31: Darling Dollies @ St George’s Church, Jesmond, Newcastle. 3:00pm. £10.00. Vocal trio.
Sat 31: Brass Fiesta @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 10:30pm. Free.

FEBRUARY 2026

Sun 01: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 01: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Quintet + guest Bill Watson (trumpet, flugelhorn).
Sun 01: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: Annie & the Caldwells @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £25.00. adv. Gospel/soul.
Sun 01: Jive Aces @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm.
Sun 01: Olly Styles Experience + Jenny Baker @ the Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 02: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 02: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 03: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 03: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

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.

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

Saturday, June 22, 2013

Rae Brothers New Orleans Jazz Band @ Jazz at the Fell. June 21

Dave Rae (banjo & vocals), Liz Bacon (clarinet), Jim Blenkin (trombone & vocals), John Robinson (double bass) & Paul Bacon (drums)
(Review by Russell)
Gateshead British Legion, the current home to Jazz at the Fell, sweltered on this mid summer night. The Rae Brothers New Orleans Jazz Band, staunch supporters of the jazz club over many years, fulfilled this most recent engagement as a quintet due to Mac Rae being indisposed. Dave Rae remarked that many years ago he worked with the Mighty Joe Young band but a stone’s throw along the road at the Honeysuckle pub (long-since closed and due to open as an open-all-hours ‘express’ supermarket). He further remarked that Alan Price turned up to hear the band. On hearing this a wag at the Legion asked: Aye, but did he stay?
Price, Burdon and co were nowhere to be seen at the Legion, those present were hard core regulars. The Rae Brothers played it strict New Orleans and Brahms’ Cradle Song set the tempo. Dave Rae took the vocal on Dinah and again on WC Handy’s Make Me a Pallet on Your Floor. Legendary names - George Lewis, Sammy Morgan - peppered Rae’s informative and entertaining introductions, not least a thumb-nail sketch of prolific Tin Pan Alley composer Harry MacGregor Woods. The tunesmith’s I’m Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover (1927) illustrated tight ensemble work, the fine front line playing of Liz Bacon, clarinet and  Jim Blenkin, trombone and Paul Bacon’s master class of New Orleans’ style drumming.
From New Orleans to Ascot. What? Yes, Ascot. A late comer marched in wearing a top hat. Well, one does, doesn’t one? A spiritual dating from 1892 put us on Higher Ground and we strode to the interval bar with Marie. Another Guinness, a strip of raffle tickets and the Brolly Dollies were readying themselves to strut their stuff.
We Shall Walk Through the Streets of the City (Rae vocals) vied for the tune of the night (standing comparison with Rendezvous Jazz’ reading of the number earlier in the day). Liz Bacon’s clarinet shone on St Louis Blues and Dave Rae’s vocals on Punch Miller’s Long Distance Blues were worth travelling a distance to hear. An evening of first class New Orleans’ jazz. Next Friday (June 28) get along to the Legion to hear the Vieux Carré Jazzmen.        
Russell.              

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