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Bebop Spoken There

Sullivan Fortner: ''I always judge it by the bass player: If the bass player is happy, it's going to be a good night". (DownBeat, February 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

17805 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 126 of them this year alone and, so far, 51 this month (Feb.16).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Sun 16: MOBO Song @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 12 noon. Free, performances on the concourse. Line-up inc. Jazz Attack (on stage time TBC) & Jambone (12:20pm).
Sun 16: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 16: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: BBC Introducing NE X MOBO Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Jambone, Knats, Rivkala, SwanNek.
Sun 16: The Shayo Experience @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 16: Gerry Richardson Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. .

Mon 17: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 17: Matt Forster Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance.
Mon 17: Russ Morgan Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law, Paul Grainger, John Hirst.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Jazz Milestones - 1975.
Thu 20: Renegade Brass Band @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 20: Orange Claw Hammer + Peony @ The Globe, Newcastle.7:30pm. Orange Claw Hammer play Captain Beefheart.
Thu 20: Jeremy McMurray & the Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Featuring special guest Zoë Gilby.

Fri 21: JazzMain @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 21: Joe Steels Trio @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £10.00. TBC.
Fri 21: Emma Rawicz w. Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30pm-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 22: Mississippi MacDonald @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm. Blues.
Sat 22: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Old Cinema Laundrette, Durham. 7:45pm. £16.50. SOLD OUT!
Sat 22: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

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

Tuesday, August 06, 2013

More Memories of Sheila from Brian Bennett.

Back in the mid 70's, VCJ bass player Brian Sibbald and myself played in a band called The St Louis Jazzmen. We had a weekly residency at a sea-front pub in Whitley Bay called The Granby - long since renamed 42nd Street. Sheila Giles and her friends, bass player/pianist, Brian Fisher, along with legendary local jazz pianist, Peter Jacobsen, would occasionally call in for a drink and a sit-in. One of the numbers Sheila would sing was 'I've got Ford engine movements in my hips' - a great song well suited to Sheila's lusty vocal style - the band for obvious reasons thought it was great.
Many years later around 2004, I received a phone call from Sheila who had recently moved back 'up North' and had bought a property in the Dinnington/Prestwick area of Wideopen - a locality she knew well as she had lived there for quite some time with her former husband, artist David Hinge. She complained that she hadn't been able to 'settle' and was unhappy with her surroundings and location and that she wanted "out of here as soon as possible". She also complained about health issues at that time. Shortly afterwards, she moved 'down South' and I lost touch with her.
By coincidence, and shortly after Sheila had moved out of the area, the Vieux Carré Jazzmen were booked to play at a reunion party in The Park Hotel, Tynemouth, for a 1950's theatre troupe called 'The Merry Magpies'. The troupe comprised singers, musicians, dancers and comedians and one of the comics had been local legend, Bobby Thompson. Bobby had passed away in 1989 and was represented by his son, Keith, who gave a speech and told many humourous anecdotes about his father. Also there, was Sheila Giles' ex husband, David Hinge. David's family were the owners of the 'Hinge Circuit' a chain of cinemas and theatres located around the north east, many of which the 
Merry Magpies had performed in.
David kindly gave me several old photographs and one of them shows Sheila at home with family and friends for a Christmas celebration sometime in the late 1950's or early 1960's. Sheila, wearing her trademark spec's is seated on the right. Unfortunately, I can't identify David - I seem to recall, tho, he had a beard and moustache when I met him last.
Photos.
Previous Sheila Giles post and comments. Brian Bennett

2 comments :

Colin Aitchison said...

Hi Brian,
I remember The Granby, and do remember Brian Fisher & Peter Jacobson dropping in now and then. I see on the photo you have Martin Simon right hand bottom corner, and the cornet player was a brass band guy called, I think "Biff" that was his nick name, all I can remember about him, is that he did not like anyone on his turf!!! happy memories..
Colin Aitchison
Hong Kong.

Colin Aitchison said...

Hi Lance,
On Sheila Giles, so sorry to hear of her passing, I remember her when I was very young, she sang quite a while with Ronnie MaClean & The All Stars at The New Orleans Jazz Club, Forth Banks, she had such a stage presence and a aura around her,that as a young kid, I never new what to say, when she asked me something, just used to clam up.
To the Bessie Smith of The North East may she R.I.P.

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