Bebop Spoken There

Melissa Aldana: ''Having to play a ballads album, which is something very revealing for a saxophone player, would help me to question some new aspects of how to go deeper into sound." (DownBeat May, 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

18602 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 466 of them this year alone and, so far this month (June 8) 17

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

June

Thu 11: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 11: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: MNO of the GASbook.
Thu 11: FILM: Köln 75 @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. 2:45pm. Dir. Ido Fluk. Drama based on the true story of Keith Jarrett’s 1975 concert in Cologne.
Thu 11: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.
Thu 11: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm.
Thu 11: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Thu 11: 58 Jazz Collective @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 11: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ The Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:30pm. Free

Fri 12: Dean Stockdale Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. Dean Stockdale (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Fri 12: Pete Tanton & Alan Law @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Tanton (trumpet, vocals); Law (piano).
Fri 12: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 12: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 12: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 12: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Cleveland Bay Hotel, Eaglescliffe. 9:00pm. Free.

Sat 13: Ladies of Midnight Blue + Northern Monkey Brass Band @ Northumberland Miners’ Picnic, Woodhorn Museum, Ashington NE63 9YF. Free. From 10:00am. Ladies of Midnight Blue (3:00-3:45pm); Northern Monkey Brass Band (4:00-4:45pm).
Sat 13: Sarah Spencer’s Transatlantic Jazz Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 13: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Saltburn Bandstand. 2:30-4:30pm. Free.
Sat 13: Courtney Pine @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £35.80. Pine (saxophones); Robert Mitchell (piano); Rio Kai (double bass); Romarna Campbell (drums). ‘A Modern-Day Jazz Story 1986 - 2026’.

Sun 14: Front Porch Band: Swing Tyne’s Swing Social @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12 noon (doors). Donations (£5.00. - £10.00. suggested). Swing dance event w. taster class (12:30pm).
Sun 14: 58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00-3:00pm. Free.
Sun 14: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 14: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 14: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 14: Doctor Jazz @ The Old Church, Sacriston, Durham. 3:00-5:00pm . Free (donations welcome). New Orleans, blues & classic 20th century songs. Food & soft drinks available, BYOB.
Sun 14: Eddie Gripper Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Gripper (piano); Clem Saynor (double bass); Patrick Barrett-Donlon (drums). Americana album tour.

Mon 15: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 15: Dan Johnson w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 16: Alan Law Trio @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free.
Tue 16: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: TBC.

Wed 17: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 17: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 17: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Saturday, December 21, 2013

QUIZ ANYONE? - Ruth Lambert Trio at The Gala Theatre, Durham. December 20



(Review/Photos by Jerry)
1] “Lithuanians and Lats do it…….” [Invitational?]
2] “Beautiful music, faint as  Will o’ the Wisp..” [Ornithological?]
3] “….Never seen things going so right,,,” [Meteorological?]
4]”Your love is rain / My heart a flower…” [Drinkable?]
5]”Why be afraid of whether / This little dream may fade…” [Amorous?]
6]”I need someone to rock me…” [Instructional?]
7]” You’d be so nice by the fire…” [Domestic?]
    8]”So lucky to be / The one you run to see…” [Sequential?]
    9]”Have fun, you lucky people / The drink and the laugh’s on me…” [Optical?]
10]”Slip a sable…under the tree…for me…” [Exhortatory?]
 In spite of Met Office warnings and louring skies, there was another big turn-out today to hear a great selection of tunes. Upbeat and happy, blues or bossa nova, whimsical or melancholic, seasonal or for all times, but always melodic and oh-so-cleverly penned, as you would expect from the likes of Hoagy, Cole Porter, Sammy Cahn, Irving Berlin, as well as Jobim and (left-field, but OH SO GOOD!) Bonnie Raitt! Ruth exercised her full vocal range from deep and mellow which warmed the room, to a very high top note which set off sirens (seemingly) on Milburngate Bridge. Mick and Giles accompanied her sensitively, allowing the lyrics to engage the audience, then soloing and taking centre-stage themselves. Mick did some slap-bass (?) on one song which was the OPPOSITE of louring skies and did everything on one “moody” number where Giles had a rest! Giles himself played in a variety of styles -some lovely latin rhythms and one fine blues solo stick in the mind.
Altogether delightful and it has put me in the mood for Christmas!!
Jerry.

10 comments :

Anonymous said...

By way of explanation: 1-10 above are quotes from the numbers Ruth sang. The brackets are cryptic clues to the titles so CRY ME A RIVER (which Ruth did not sing - shame!) might have been described as [Lachrymose?] JERRY

Russell said...

Off the top of my head...

1) Let's Do It
2) Skylark
3) ?
4) ?
5)S'Wonderful
6) Love Me Like a Man
7) You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To
8) ?
9) Black Coffee
10) ?

I'm hummimg the blank ones. someone else can fill them in and/or correct my effort!

Anonymous said...

1,2,6,7 correct! You are top-scorer so far, Russell!
3 was "the opposite of louring skies",4 was the bossa nova mentioned in my comments (as was its composer) and 10 a seasonal wish-list! Any help? JERRY

Russell said...

Hi Jerry

3) Blue Skies
4) Jobim - can't get the title, yet!

Anonymous said...

50% now - Blue Skies it was.
For Jobim, think water to drink (in either Iberian language).
10's EASY (honest!) A favourite of Ruth's.... a wish-list for Dec 24, exhorting haste from a jolly chap in red!

Lance said...

9 Heavenly optics.

EmmaFiskJazzVio said...

10 Santa Baby?

Anonymous said...

Spot on, Emma!
Yes, "Heavenly" for ANGEL EYES, Lance.
Which just leaves 4,5,and 8, I think.
JERRY

Lance said...

4: Aqua etc...
5: Don't say this to Zoe if Andy's around!
8: Frequently talking to one's self.

Anonymous said...

4: sim, exacto. Agua de Beber
5: Sound advice!
8: was "Time after Time"
JERRY

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