Bebop Spoken There

Jools Holland (on his 2026 spring/summer tour): ''With the mighty [R&B] Orchestra, our wonderful boogie woogie singers, and the brilliant Joe Webb opening the shows [including Darlington Hippodrome, June 19], we're in for some very special evenings of music.'' The Northern Echo February 5, 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

18263 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 117 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Feb. 6), 17

From This Moment On ...

February

Sat 07: The Big Easy @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 07: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30-3:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 07: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. St Thomas & Bésame Mucho. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 07: Side Cafe Oᴙkestar @ Café Under the Spire, Gateshead. 6:30pm. Table reservations: 0191 477 3970.
Sat 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 08: Swing Tyne @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12 noon (doors). Donations. Swing dance taster class (12:30pm) + Hot Club de Heaton (live performance). Non dancers welcome.
Sun 08: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 09: Mark Williams Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 09: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 10: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 11: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington.. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 11: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 12: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 13: Noel Dennis Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm . £9.00. Dennis (trumpet, flugelhorn); Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 13: Joe Steels @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 13: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm.
Fri 13: Tom Remon & John Moriarty @ The Ship Isis, Silksworth Row, Sunderland SR1 3QJ. 7:00pm. £10.00 + £1.00 bf.

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

Friday, December 06, 2013

Rendezvous Jazz @ St Joseph’s, Birtley. December 5

Maureen Hall (vocals), Alan Smith (trumpet & flugelhorn), Don Fairley (trombone), Bill Brittain (keyboards), John Robinson (double bass) & George Davidson (drums & vocals)
(Review by Russell).
The first Arctic blast of winter, hailstones, snow flurries, the shortest day approaching. The long running Birtley Jazz Club opened its doors once again for the first Thursday in the month gathering of New Orleans/Dixieland fans. The CMS Club on Birtley Lane can count on the hardy few and they always turn out to hear Maureen Hall and Rendezvous Jazz.
Rosetta breathed life in to valves, tweaked bass strings and hamstrings. If the joint wasn’t exactly jumpin’ it got the joints moving. A couple of A-list deps – Don Fairley (trombone) and pianist Bill Brittain – answered the call, enabling Hall to keep the show on the road. Stalwart drummer George Davidson shared vocal duties with his bandleader. You Always Hurt the One You Love a highlight from Davidson. Hall provided highlight upon highlight – Dream, Nobody’s Sweetheart, Big Butter and Egg Man.
The band’s frontline knocked out classy solos. Seated on a highchair, trombonist Fairley, long since one of the north east’s finest, seemed to know all of the tunes – I guess he does. His every contribution hit the mark and the lean, towering figure of trumpeter Alan Smith alongside clearly enjoyed the pairing. Open, muted horn, occasional flugel, Smith led the line in style. Bill Brittain has been around the block a few times, Hall surely counts herself lucky to be able to call upon such a fine pianist. Wabash Blues and Canal Street Blues caught the ear, the latter number studded with excellent solos from Smith, Fairley and Brittain ably supported by the boys in the engine room (Davidson and the laconic John Robinson, double bass). Someday You’ll Be Sorry said Hall before she went looking for Bill Bailey.
You can find Maureen Hall and the boys at the Sandpiper in Cullercoats on Saturday (Dec 7, 8:30 pm) and if you can’t wait that long get along to the Black Horse in Monkseaton at one o’clock today (Friday). If you want a seat get there early, the session is doing great business.           
Russell. 
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