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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, 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

17904 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 225 of them this year alone and, so far, 72 this month (March 24).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Fri 28: Giles Strong Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00 SOLD OUT!.
Fri 28: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 28: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 28: Spilt Milk @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £8.00.
Fri 28: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Old Cinema Laundrette, Durham. 7:45pm.
Fri 28: Sue Ferris Quintet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £10.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 28: Mostly Moonlight @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Fri 28: Juliana Day & Manon McCoy @ Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00.; £10.00. advance. JNE.

Sat 29: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 29: Doris Day Story @ Phoenix Theatre, Blyth. 7:30pm.
Sat 29: Squabble! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 30: Jan Spencelayh & Dave Archbold @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 30: Jamil Sheriff Trio w. Nadim Teimoori @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 30: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 30: Jamil Sheriff Trio w. Nadim Teimoori @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 31: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

APRIL 2025

Tue 01: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Mark Robertson.
Tue 01: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, North St., Ferryhill DL17 8HX. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 02: Lauren Bush: The Jazz Singer’s Toolkit @ The Pele, Corbridge. 1:00-4:00pm. Vocalist Lauren Bush with pianist Jamil Sheriff presents a jazz singing workshop. £40.00. (inc. evening concert, see below). Registration required for workshop: www.laurenbushjazz.com. All ability levels welcome.
Wed 02: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 02: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 2:30-4:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Wed 02: Lauren Bush & Jamil Sheriff @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00-9:00pm. £10.00. Concert performance. Tickets: www.laurenbushjazz.com.
Wed 02: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 02: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. POSSIBLE CANCELLATION. See website for updates: www.theglobenewcastle.bar.

Thu 03: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Women in Jazz.
Thu 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 03: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. A Tees Hot Club promotion. First Thursday in the month.

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

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Millstone, South Gosforth.

Graham Hardy (tpt); Barry Soulsby (clt/vcl); Lawrence McBriarty (tmb); Brian Bennett (bjo/vcl); Ian Heslop (bs); Paul Thompson (dms) + Ann Alex (vcl).
(Review by Lance).
Fred Thompson was at a funeral, Fred Rowe had teething troubles so reinforcements were called upon.
Graham Hardy is no stranger to the band easily adapting his more forward looking playing to suit the idiom. Paul Thompson, son of Fred, proved to be a chip off the old block behind the traps. However, neither of these two splendid chaps are strong in the vocal department so it was left to Barry Soulsby, with occasional assists from Bandleader Bennett and A.N. Other, to provide the words.
They stomped off with The Darktown Strutters Ball taken slightly more leisurely than the norm with Soulsby doing the vocal as well as laying on the liquorice. Hardy and McBriarty dug deep to make for a fine start.
Bennett sang Dinah followed by a 12 bar that the leader claimed Hardy had written on his way to the gig entitled I've Got Those Playing With the Vieux Carré Again Blues
The set rolled merrily along with Alexander's Ragtime Band, Roses of Picardy, Out of Nowhere and Exactly Like You. Amid it all I had a Cajun Chicken Sandwich with chips and trimmings that was almost as hot as the music.
Raffle came, Doom Bar Bitter refilled and Raffle went.
The second set got underway with My Blue Heaven which was a good way to start as outside the sun was indeed resplendent in a cloudless sky of blue. Once again the horns said their piece most eloquently. Graham Hardy, who on Sunday with Ruth Lambert was Chet Baker cool, was today Pat Halcox hot. Lawrence McBriarty slots into the ensembles with ease and emerges to solo with authority. Barry Soulsby sings, not just with his voice but with the clarinet - always telling a story.
Next up BSH woman's editor, agony aunt and reviewer Ann Alex threw that baggage away and took to the stage to chant a spirited version of All of Me - well done Ann - your salary is doubled.
Petite Fleur, I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter, an exquisite version of Blue Turning Grey Over You and Willie the Weeper led to the inevitable Goin' Home - which we did via 900 replacement metro bus and the good old 27.
Must also mention that the horns who have hogged this review couldn't have done it without the support of Ian Heslop on Bass, Paul, Son of Fred, on drums and of course the man with the banjo Brian Bennett.
Also good to say hello to Norma and Mary.
Lance.

2 comments :

Ann Alex said...

Lance,I'm no mathematical genius but twice nothing is still nothing, so I must be doing this writing for the thrill!

Lance said...

Well Alright, Ok, You Win - I'll triple it!

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