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Bebop Spoken There

Kurt Elling: ''There's something to learn from every musician you play with''. (DownBeat, December 2024).

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

17630 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 904 of them this year alone and, so far, 49 this month (Dec. 20).

From This Moment On ...

December

Tue 24: Lindsay Hannon & Mark Williams @ Ernest, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 11:00am-1:00pm. Free.
Tue 24: Paul Skerritt @ Mambo Wine & Dine, South Shields. 1:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.

Wed 25: Wot? No jazz!

Thu 26: The Boneshakers @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. The 17th annual Boneshakers’ Shindig.

Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free. Business as usual!.
Fri 27: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 27: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sat 28: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 11:30am. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 28: Fri 20: Castillo Nuevo @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 28: Jude Murphy, Rich Herdman & Giles Strong @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 28: Ray Stubbs R & B All-Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Stepney Bank, Newcastle. 9:00pm. Free.

Sun 29: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 29: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 30: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Wheatsheaf, Benton Sq., Whitley Road, Palmersville NE12 9SU. Tel: 0191 266 8137. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 30: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.

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, August 26, 2014

The Savannah Jazz Band @ The Customs House, South Shields. August 25.

John Meehan (dms); Bill Smith (cor/vcl/hca); Roger Myerscough (clt/alt/vcl); Brian Ellis (tmb/pno); Bill Lawrence (bs); Chris Marney (bjo/vcl).
(Review by Lance).
This was like walking back in time and encountering the ghosts of the Panama Jazzmen, the Rivermouth Jazzmen, the River City Jazzmen, Clem Avery, Hughie Aitchison's Cellarmen and various reincarnations of the Vieux Carré Jazzmen - the latest of which had been playing that very afternoon but a couple of miles away across the river (as the seagull flies).
The silver haired audience showed their appreciation of the silver haired stomping Savannahs, applauding solos and laughing at the jokes.
Yes, it brought back memories of the Rivermouth Jazzmen playing at the Wouldhave Café (later the Shoreline Club) on the sea front. Under age drinking in the Sea Hotel then cups of tea listening to the youthful Fred Rowe on cornet and afterwards - well that's another story...a story I'm sure many of last night's audience could also relate to as the band from across The Pennines re-kindled the flame with jazz classicss such as Panama, Canal St. Blues, Walk Through the Streets of the City, and a host of others including Chris Barber's old warhorse, Ice Cream, (The Big Chris Barber Band are at Customs House on Thursday). They even finished up with Goin' Home - a number those of the audience who'd tunnelled or ferried their way south may have already heard in the afternoon!
Smith, Myerscough and Marney took care of the vocal chores with Smith telling us that The Girls Go Crazy 'Bout the Way he Walks, Myerscough was Blue Turning Grey and Marney extolled the virtues of The Glory of Love. But for me, the highlight was Smith singing and blowing blues harp on Stormy Monday with Ellis switching to piano and Myerscough wailing on alto.
Leader Meehan impressed with his solo on Panama and dep bass Lawrence hit all the right notes in all the right places.
It was an enjoyable evening provided by six masters of the idiom.
Lance.

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