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Bebop Spoken There

Van Morrison: ''Basically, I'm coming from jazz. Not pop, not rock, not what's commercial. That's where I started, and that's still where I am. I feel the same as I did when I was listening to Louis Armstrong, Lead Belly, Jelly Roll Morton''. (The Northern Echo, 12 June 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

17,533 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 497 of them this year alone and, so far, 75 this month (June 23).

From This Moment On ...

JUNE 2025

Wed 25: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 25: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 25: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 25: The Magpies of Swing @ The Roxy, Leadgate, Co. Durham. 7:30pm. A Ginger Jitterbugs swing dance event, all welcome.

Thu 26: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Brass Instruments & the use of mutes.

Fri 27: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm.
Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 27: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 8:00pm. ‘Time After Time’.

Sat 28: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Linskill Centre, North Shields. 4:00-10:30pm. Free, but ticketed (over 18s only). A multi-bill, multi-genre ‘Canny Shiels - North Shields 800’ event. Three Kings Brewery on site.
Sat 28: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 28: Jude Murphy & Dan Stanley @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 29: Jude Murphy & Dan Stanley @ Wallington, Northumberland. 12 noon-1:00pm & 2:00-3:00pm. Tel: 01670 773606. National Trust admission prices apply. ‘Tunes in the Blooms’.
Sun 29: Bal Bruch Social Dance @ As You Like It, Sandyford, Newcastle. 12:30pm. Free. Dance event with Hot Club de Heaton performing live (2:00-3:00pm). A ‘Jar on the Bar’ event.
Sun 29: Glenn Miller Orchestra UK @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 3:00pm. Ray McVay & co.
Sun 29: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 29: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 29: Zoë Gilby w. Ryton Choral Society @ Corbridge Middle School NE45 5HX. 5:30pm. £15.00. Gilby w jazz trio & choir. ‘An evening of jazz song for choir’.
Sun 29: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 29: John Wilson & the Sinfonia of London @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. ‘Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Greatest Hits’.
Sun 29: Out Front @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. JNE.

Mon 30: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club (1:00pm). Free.

JULY 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 @ Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. 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

Saturday, October 05, 2013

Bill Harper Remembers - Part One.

Hi Lance, I'd never looked at the fact that I'd set some sort of record for supporting some of the world's greatest jazz soloists but, as you say, it is an era which regrettably has gone, so maybe I have a record which will never be broken. Looking back through my diaries, I was amazed to find that I had worked with more than 80 world class players, many at the Corner House and also many other venues organised by Jazz NE, plus my time working with Frank Brooker at Festivals throughout the UK, NI & Belgium. I will always be grateful to Jazz NE  who, in 1983, gave me the opportunity to be in the company of a veritable "treasure chest" of great US stars, the first one being Art Farmer.
Of course it wasn't all down to me-- I was surrounded by great local players like Sid Warren, Willie Payne, Mike Gilby, Derek Dixon, all sadly no longer with us, & a little later the power house engine room of Adrian Tilbrook & Peter Stuart, without whose support I would at times have been struggling badly & I will always be in their debt.
Art Farmer was a lovely man with a quiet sense of humour who was surprised to see that I had the changes, introduction & ending for 'I Remember Clifford" & he smiled when I told him that I had taken them down from his original recording with Benny Golson. I worked with him later at the Rosehill Theatre (Whitehaven) which was in the middle of nowhere, out in the sticks. After playing to a packed house, the trio was preparing for the long trip back to the NE when he popped his head through the dressing room door & said "Come on you guys-- lets hit the jazz spots in town". A great sense of humour!!!
Of the many trumpeters that I have supported, Warren Vache is my personal favourite. For tone, technique & musical invention, he is unsurpassed for me & in spite of a fearsome reputation, I found him to be a likeable intelligent man. He could be extremely aggressive & abrasive & didn't tolerate fools gladly but Anne & I spent a couple of days with him on a gig at Ulverston & I have to say we enjoyed his company immensely. His recollections on his career plus the hilarious events that took place at the gig would fill a small book--- maybe later!!! Of course I can't talk "trumpets" without mentioning the gentle giant Bruce Adams who is without doubt the most extrovert player I've ever worked with. Blessed with a phenomenal technique & a sense of humour to match, he is as easy as an old shoe & an absolute joy to work with. He is a good friend & we do see him from time to time over here as he has a summer residence 80 kilos away.
(end part one).
Bill Harper.
(In the photo above Bill is far right with Dennis Healey (dms); Sid Warren (ten); Al Grey (tmb); Derek Dixon (bs) and Willie Payne (gtr) - Lance).

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