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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, April 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

17923 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 244 of them this year alone and, so far, 91 this month (March 31).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Thu 03: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Women in Jazz.
Thu 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 03: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. A Tees Hot Club promotion. First Thursday in the month.

Fri 04: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 04: Ruth Lambert Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Fri 04: Tom McGuire & the Brassholes @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00.
Fri 04: Nicolas Meier’s Infinity Group + Spirit of Jeff Beck @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm.

Sat 05: Tenement Jazz Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 05: Sleep Suppressor @ Head of Steam, Newcastle. 5:30-6:00pm.
Sat 05: King Bees @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Raymond MacDonald & Jer Reid @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 6:00-9:30pm. £7.72., £1.00. (minimum donation). MacDonald & Reid + Objections + Yotuns.
Sat 05: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Kamasi Washington @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £33.00.
Sat 05: Vermont Big Band @ The Seahorse, Whitley Bay. 7:30pm. Tickets: £10.00 (from the venue).
Sat 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 06: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 06: Learning & Participation Showcase @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm (1:00pm doors). Free. Featuring participants from Play More Jazz! Play More Folk! Blue Jam Singers & more.
Sun 06: Joe Steels Group @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Ferg Kilsby, Joe Steels, Ben Lawrence, Paul Susans, John Hirst.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Hooch, Quayside, Newcastle. 6:00pm.
Sun 06: Leeway @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 07: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 08: ???

Wed 09: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 09: Tannery jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm.
Wed 09: Anatole Muster Trio @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £17.50., £12.50. concs.
Wed 09: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED?

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, June 17, 2014

Roly Goes "Underground."

Excuse me for a bit of self promotion but this festival may in any case be of interest and maybe you could pass on the info to any friends or relatives who you think may be interested. 
The Mining Institute is in Neville Street, Newcastle just next to The Lit & Phil. It has a history to be proud of. Many of the finest engineers in mining history graced its walls and many of the great innovations in mining happened here on Tyneside. For example Geordie Stephenson's safety lamp, better pit ventilation (John Buddle - Wallsend), the pit cage (TE Hall - Greenside).  
The Institute is still going strong. They currently are involved in a research project 'Mining the Institute' which is exploring the world wide influence of our local mining engineers who worked to influence mining development world wide. As part of this, Judith Murphy is helping organise a festival of literature, poetry, song and music all related to our mining history.
Next Saturday 21st June - Festival of Mining Literature & Poetry.
Saturday 28th June - Festival of Song & Music.
Judith has invited The Blaydon Aces, myself and James Birkett, to be part of the events on 28th - we are playing 2.30 to 3.15 in the afternoon. A selection of light hearted local dialect songs with a mining connection - I've got a little whippet, Wi me pit claes on, Pitman's Lament, Row between the cages and so on.
For the full festival program here's the link.
https://www.mininginstitute.org.uk/
 -----
Back to jazz - our next concert at Blaydon is on Sunday 6th July -  an extra date fixed up because Colin Aitchison is over here from Hong Kong. Colin is a fine Armstrong inspired trumpeter. He is bringing his pal, Italian clarinettist Franco Valussi - he's also based in Hong Kong now. Its with Swing City Trio fronted by the one and only Steve Andrews (sax/clnt) plus Roy Cansdale bass and myself acoustic guitar.
After that, on Sunday 20th July, a great young jazz singer Zoe Gilby with her quartet.
Roly.

2 comments :

Lance said...

Very interesting Roly. I'd always associated the miner's lamp with Humphrey Davy and didn't realise that Stephenson and others were working the same seam so to speak. I think the Festival will appeal to anyone interested in local history.

Roly said...

Hi Lance - thanks for putting this on BSH. Yes Davy invented a safety lamp too. From what I've read both men were working on their version of a safety lamp at about the same time.

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