Bebop Spoken There

Christian McBride: ''We knew back in the day that Emmet [Cohen] had it.'' (DownBeat July, 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

18680 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 544 of them this year alone and, so far this month (July 3) 8

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

July

Sat 04: Spats Langham’s Hot Fingers @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 04: Michael Woods @ Cycle Hub, Quayside, Ouseburn. 1:30-2:30pm & 3:00-4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues guitar. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sat 04: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Take the ‘A’ Train to Summertime: From Melody to Masterclass. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 04: Strictly Smokin’ quintet + House of the Black Gardenia @ Sunset Festival, Transmission Dynamics, Cramlington. 5:00-9:30pm. Free. Tickets: Eventbrite. Multi-bill.
Sat 04: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Repas 7 by Night, Berwick. 8:00pm. Free.
Sat 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 05: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 05: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Feat. guest Kevin Eland (trumpet).
Sun 05: Michael Woods @ Cycle Hub, Quayside, Ouseburn. 1:30-2:30pm & 3:15-4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues guitar. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sun 05: Lydia Rae Quintet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Rae (vocals); Sam Lightwing (alto sax, tenor sax); Ben Lawrence (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Sun 05: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 05: Storytellers Street Band @ Ouseburn Woodland, Ouseburn. 5:00-6:00pm. Free. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sun 05: Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 05: Jambone @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:15-9:45pm. Free but ticketed.

Mon 06: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 06: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Tue 07: Alan Law Trio @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:30pm. Free.
Tue 07: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Ben Lawrence (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Tue 07: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 08: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 08: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 08: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 08: Sax on the Tyne @ St George’s Church, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £8.00. Feat. Sax on the Tyne & St George’s Community Choir.
Wed 08: Abbie Finn Trio @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.

Thu 09: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 09: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 09: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Fri 10: Swing Manouche @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00.
Fri 10: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 10: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 10: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 10: Olly Styles & Jacob Egglestone @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 10: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 10: Archipelago @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 7:00pm . New album fundraiser gig.
Fri 10: King Bees @ Rebel Yell, Nelson St., Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. Chicago blues.

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings @ Sage Gateshead November 19

Bill Wyman (bs gtr); Frank Mead (sax/vcl/hca) Nick Payn (sax/hca); Geraint Watkins (keys/vcl); Albert Lee (gtr/vcl); Terry Taylor (gtr/vcl); Graham Broad (dms); Beverly Skeete (vcl) + Maria Muldaur (vcl).
Good old fashioned Rock & Roll, Rhythm & Blues, Soul, Blues, Jazz - you name it, you got it!
Vocals galore and mind-blowing solos to boot. The only thing that puzzled me was why weren't the audience boppin' and jivin' in the aisles? Then I looked about me - there were as many grey hairs and bald pates as you get at the average north-east jazz concert. More in fact as Hall One, whilst not full to the rafters, had a respectably crowded two tiers with a sprinkling on the third.
This was fun with the two saxes not only laying down the jazz but choreographing their riffs like a 1940s band at Harlem's Apollo Theatre. Both horns doubled on blues harp, jaw harp and Mead had a few vocal blasts as well. Likewise guitarists Lee and Taylor sang the blues and burned the fretboard. Taylor also proved to be a raconteur of the first order getting plenty laughs.
Watkins, depping for an ailing Georgie Fame, also drew the belly laughs as well as the plaudits for his keyboarding and singing.
Beverly Skeete continues to add beauty and vocal skills to the ensemble whilst special guest Maria Muldaur added her own personality to the shebang.
Could it really be 40 years since Midnight at the Oasis? Maria wears it well.
Wyman? Cool, laid back, he did the job and absorbed the jokes - "He's on Sanatogen and Ovaltine" quipped Taylor.
Set list: (1) Chicken Shack (Watkins); Do You Like Soul Music? (Beverly); Good Mornin' Captain (Lee); Just Your Fool (Mead); I'm A Woman, Steady Love; I'll Be So Glad (3 x Maria); Time is on my Side (Watkins); Talk to me Baby (Taylor); Jitterbug Boogie (Lee); Good Rockin' (Beverly/Maria).
(2): It's a Man's World (Beverly); Sugar Babe (Mead); Jump Jive (Lee); 300 lbs of Joy (Watkins); I'll be Satisfied (Beverly); Race With the Devil (Taylor/Lee); Rich Man's Woman's Blues; Midnight at the Oasis; Don't You Feel My Leg (3 x Maria); Johnny B. Goode (Watkins); I Just Want to Make Love to You (Beverly).
There was, no doubt an encore or six, but I was satisfied with what I'd heard and the bus beckoned.
Very enjoyable evening for those who can cross the genres.
Lance.

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