Total Pageviews

7296626

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

17904 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 225 of them this year alone and, so far, 72 this month (March 24).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Sat 29: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 29: Doris Day Story @ Phoenix Theatre, Blyth. 7:30pm.
Sat 29: Squabble! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 30: Jan Spencelayh & Dave Archbold @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 30: Jamil Sheriff Trio w. Nadim Teimoori @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 30: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 30: Jamil Sheriff Trio w. Nadim Teimoori @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 31: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

APRIL 2025

Tue 01: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Mark Robertson.
Tue 01: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, North St., Ferryhill DL17 8HX. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 02: Lauren Bush: The Jazz Singer’s Toolkit @ The Pele, Corbridge. 1:00-4:00pm. Vocalist Lauren Bush with pianist Jamil Sheriff presents a jazz singing workshop. £40.00. (inc. evening concert, see below). Registration required for workshop: www.laurenbushjazz.com. All ability levels welcome.
Wed 02: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 02: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 2:30-4:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Wed 02: Lauren Bush & Jamil Sheriff @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00-9:00pm. £10.00. Concert performance. Tickets: www.laurenbushjazz.com.
Wed 02: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 02: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. POSSIBLE CANCELLATION. See website for updates: www.theglobenewcastle.bar.

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.

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, August 01, 2014

Strictly Smokin' Big Band @ The Millstone. July 31.

Michael Lamb (MD), Gordon Marshall, Dick Stacey (tpts); Mark Ferris, Kieran Parnaby, Michael Fletcher, Matthew Fletcher, Robert "Pez" Perry (tmb); Steve Summers, Keith Robinson, Paul Gowland, Jamie Toms, Laurie Rangecroft (reeds); Chris Harrison (pno); Bradley Johnston (gtr); Michael Whent (bs); Guy Swinton (dms).
(Review by Lance).
In the upper room, the disciples of the SSBB numbered many more than the traditional twelve. The gospel had been preached even unto Cullercoats from whence many travelled overland to worship and drink goblets of Real Ale.
It was well worth the journey to the promised land for yea verily this nomadic band of musical vagabonds were in fine form. 
Lester Leaps In, Long Ago and Far Away, Blues Machine, Five Foot Two Eyes of Blue, Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, Fat Cat, Frankie and Johnny and a Trombone Guy, Sweet Georgia Brown and Hayburner made up the first set and it was a killer!
I'm currently reading books on Woody Herman and Stan Kenton. I don't normally, simultaneously, read two books but one fits into my pocket and one doesn't. This, of course, means at times I think Kenton had Four Brothers and Woody had three wives and a son called Lance. I digress. The reason I mention this is because the chap sitting next to me compared the band to Kenton and indeed the SSBB are comparable with many name bands of the past and, I'm sure, of the future.
The second set hit the ground running with Ellington's Skindeep and Do Nothing Till You Here From Me, Mulligan's (Gerry) Red Door, the Buddy Rich version of Norwegian Wood, Number 180 (AKA?). a request for Body and Soul, One Note at a Time and a "Wonderful" version of Isn't She Lovely?
Trumpet solos from the depleted section were by leader Lamb, trombone solos from the augmented section were by Parnaby and all the saxes had their say to a greater or lesser degree.
New pianist Harrison fitted in well and guitarist Johnston excelled rhythm-wise and in solo on Fat Cat.
Michael Whent kept it rooted and drummer Swinton, acoustically caged behind glass panels played with humour and announced sympathetically - whoops! wrong way round!
They're here on the last Thursday of each month but, come early - a seventeen piece band doesn't leave many seats for sitting on!
Also, catch them August 16 at the Tyne Bar down on the waterfront.
Lance.

2 comments :

Unknown said...

Thanks very much Lance. Enjoyed the 'ye olde' slant on this one!

Just to confirm trombones were Michael and Matthew Fletcher, and A. N. Other is the one and only Robert 'Pez' Perry! Also Laurie Rangecroft, not Larry!

Hopefully catch you on 16th Aug at The Tyne Bar!

Lance said...

Thanks Michael - corrections made.

Blog Archive