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Bebop Spoken There

Steve Coleman: ''If you don't keep learning, your mind slows down. Use it or lose it''. (DownBeat, January 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

17733 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 53 of them this year alone and, so far, 53 this month (Jan. 20).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Wed 22: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 22: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 22: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 22: Pasadena Roof Orchestra @ Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm.

Thu 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free. Fortnightly.
Thu 23: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Obituaries 2024.
Thu 23: Jason Isaacs @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:30-6:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Thu 23: Pedal Point Trio @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 24: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Creakin’ Bones & the Sunday Dinners @ Lindisfarne Social Club, Wallsend. 9:00pm. Admission: TBC. Jazz, blues , jump jive, rock ‘n’ roll.

Sat 25: Boys of Brass @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:30-5:30pm. Free.
Sat 25: New '58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson's Wharf, Hartlepool. 6:30pm (doors). Free. A Burns' Night event. Jazz, swing, funk, soul, blues etc.
Sat 25: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 25: Red Kites Jazz @ Parish Hall, St Barnabas’ Church, Rowlands Gill. 7:30pm. £10.00. BYOB (tea & coffee available), raffle. Proceeds to St Barnabas’ Church. Performance feat. Shayo (vocals).
Sat 25: Jack & Jay’s Songbook @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Graham Hardy Eclectic Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 26: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 26: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:30pm. Free.
Sun 26: Gratkowski, Tramontana, Beresford, Affifi @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.
Sun 26: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 27: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 28: ???

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Thu 30: Matters Unknown (aka Jonathan Enser, Nubiyan Twist) + support TBA @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £12.22 (gig & food); £9:04 (gig only).
Thu 30: Soznak @ The Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 30: Struggle Buggy @ Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Rhythm & blues.

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, December 17, 2013

Harlem Hot Stompers @ Boston Spa December 14

John Ronnan (trombone), Bill Smith (clarinet), John Reade (piano), Ian McCann (banjo & guitar), Grant Taylor (drums), Dave Taylor (clarinet) & Dave Parr (bass).
(Review by Ray Robson).
Where better to feel full of the Christmas spirit than to join the party with our friends at Boston Spa? We headed south full of "joie de vivre" .....the high street awash with seasonal decorations had us whistling carols as we entered the hall, with another full house - many in Xmas hats & with balloons aplenty - tempting us to dream of that nowadays elusive White Christmas.
A rousing start led us to Dallas Blues then the classic Gatemouth before a spot of Riverside Blues. John Reade on piano gave a virtuoso solo of the 1899 Kerry Mills’ Whistling Rufus, before the full band reconvened to The Blues my Naughty Sweetie Gives to me;  Spencer Williams’ Tishomingo Blues & a very lively East Coast Trot. How to close the set?  The redoubtable Bill Smith sang us out with Down by the Riverside........
The Stompers are led by a superb front line, we knew Bill Smith from great Savannah Jazz Band nights but John Ronnan was for us a newcomer (I'm sure he'll like that term !) who for us was the star of the night. Dave Taylor is a recent "transfer market" addition after the sad loss in April of Band Leader Tony Foulkes, but he knitted seamlessly into the "team". Behind every good front line is a solid rhythm section, no exception in the Stompers, a very tight performance by John, Ian, Dave & "young" Grant.
A splendiferous sumptuous banquet of a buffet did the Spa proud but left us feeling like seasonal birds must on the morning itself ....well done to all though, impeccable organisation as always!
I digress ...to the music ....High Society opened the second set with Saint James Infirmary Blues (ft vcl JT) rousing the crowd....no brollies indoors to partake in Bourbon Street Parade unfortunately, but singers aplenty as we joined with John Reade to singalonga Christmas ...the old favourites tripping off the tongue ...White Christmas, Good King Wenceslas, Silent Night,  Winter Wonderland, Rudolph, Jingle Bells then finally We Wish you a Merry Christmas .....we were transported back to the family Christmas's of yesteryear, the family singing around the piano ...memories are indeed made of this as they say.
Still time for a few more, Doctor Jazz (a poignant tribute to Tim who helped make Jazz at the Spa what its is today), a full band Jingle Bells then back to jazz with Avalon, Please don’t talk about us when we are gone (sic), & finally a splendid Tiger Rag drew a well deserved rousing applause in gratitude of a great night.
Time to put away the hats - for now - & head into the night, but with that warm feeling inside that nights like this provide you with.
Ray Robson
Next Jazz at the Spa 4th Jan Savannah Jazz Band, then 11 Jan Kid Boyd Jazz Band, 18 Jan Tame Valley Stompers, 26 Jan Alan Barnes, John Hallam & the Tom Kinkaid trio


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