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, March 28, 2014

CD Review: Basin Street Brawlers - It's Tight Like That

Pete Horsfall (tpt/vcl); Ewan Bleach (clt/sax); Malcolm Earle-Smith (tmb); Colin Good (pno); Martin Wheatley (gtr/bjo); Dave O'Brien (bs); Mez Clough (dms).
(Review by Lance).
A breath of fresh air might seem to be a strange description of a band playing music from the early part of the last century but after so many 'boundary bursting' CDs of angry young men seeking to extend the jazz horizons it's nice to wallow in the ambience of good tunes played by young(ish) musicians with a melodic flare to their improvisations.
Don't get me wrong, I've got nothing against progress and I appreciate the need for young musicians to look to the future. However, it isn't always a journey I want to take with them.
The Basin Street Brawlers do their battling with velvet gloves rather than bare knuckles pickled in vinegar which makes for a relaxed atmosphere. Influenced by bands such as the Louis Armstrong All-Stars, Eddie Condon, Jack Teagarden and Alex Welsh they remind us of that golden era. Close your eyes and you could be in Jimmy Ryan's, Eddie Condon's or even Cook's Ferry Inn.
I wouldn't be so bold as to make comparisions with the originals - neither would the band I'm sure - but, nevertheless, this is still a fine disc well capable of standing on its own 14 feet. 
Tracks: If Dreams Come True; Just One of Those Things; If Only You Knew; All My Life; How am I to Know; Stars Fell on Alabama; Once in While; It's Tight Like That and Swing That Music.
The disc starts and ends (almost) with A Smoooth One interspersed with introductory remarks by one Natty Bo. There's also a delightful bonus track in the form of Strayhorn's Lotus Blossom. If Only You Knew is an original by Horsfall well worthy of entering 'The Repertoire'.
The Brawlers can be heard in London at Wilton's Music Hall, The Nightjar and The Blues Kitchen. there are also a couple of CD Launch Parties set up:-
May 15: The Royal Albert Hall's Elgar Room.
June 8: London Swing Festival @ Bishopgate Institute, Liverpool Street.
Basin Street Brawlers - It's Tight Like That is a limited edition CD with only 500 available.
Lance.
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