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Bebop Spoken There

Trevor Mires: ''My mum is a Dean Martin fan: I'm not, so I would grab my skateboard and get out of the house whenever I heard "Everybody Loves Somebody, Sometime." ". (Jazzwise, 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

17957 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 278 of them this year alone and, so far, 34 this month (April 14).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Fri 18: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 18: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 18: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.

Fri 18: Alexia Gardner @ Fika Gallery, Oldgate, Morpeth NE61 1LT. 7:00pm. Trio (Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy).RESCHEDULED FOR JUNE 13

Fri 18: Sarah Jane Morris & Tony Remy: The Sisterhood @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. CANCELLED! 7:30pm (doors). £25.00.

Sat 19: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-3:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 19: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 19: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 20: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 20: Salty Dog @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 20: Spilt Milk @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 20: Tweed River Jazz Band @ The Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 20: C.A.L.I.E @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 21: Newcastle Record Fair @ Copthorne Hotel, Newcastle. 10:00am. Going in search of the Buddy Bolden cylinder…
Mon 21: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. Coquetdale Jazz.

Wed 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 23: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 23: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED!

Thu 24: Mary Coughlan @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £33.80. Blues, jazz etc.
Thu 24: Darlington Big Band @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

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

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

CD Review: New Century Ragtime Orchestra - "Singin' in the Bathtub"

Alastair Lord, Graham Hardy (tpts); Don Fairley (tmb); Ed Cross (vln); Jim McBriarty (alt/clt/vcl). Alan Marshall (alt/clt), Gavin Lee, Steve Andrews (ten/clt); Neville Hartley (pno); Phil Rutherford (sousa/tuba); Steve Doyle (dms); Keith Stephen (gtr/bjo); Dave Kerr (ldr/arr); Caroline Irwin (vcl) + Keith Nichols (pno); Nick Ward (dms).
(Review by Lance).
The NCRO are one of the treasures of the north east scene. No bebop spoken here, this music even pre-dates the Lindy Hop! Having said that, there can be few bands anywhere in the world who can recreate the period so well as this ensemble. The soloists, several of whom are frequently heard in more contemporary settings, adjust to the idiom so well you'd be excused for assuming they were wearing spats and two-tone shoes as they drove to the studio in a Studebaker Special Six automobile.
Twenty excellent numbers make it near impossible to single out any one track. I've always loved Red Allen's Patrol Wagon Blues and this version, with vocal by McBriarty and trumpet solo by Hardy, does it justice whilst Jim's megaphone style vocal on Gonna Get a Girl is another one that, in a bygone age, would have had the Flappers flapping! Keith Nichol's piano intro to Ed Cross' theme statement and the solos by McBriarty (clarinet) and Stephen (guitar) on I'll Never be the Same provide more musical imagery.
Talking of Flappers, Caroline Irwin brings the Ruth Etting/Annette Hanshaw era to life with splendid vocals on Guilty, You'd Be Surprised, I Can't Give You Anything But Love and a magnificent I'm Through With Love.
I'm not sure which tracks have Nick Ward on 'traps' but, guessing, I'd say most likely That Teasin' Rag and The Terror.
Dave Kerr is to be congratulated for not only keeping this fine band together but also for editing and adapting most of the arrangements.
The album notes are by Steve Andrews, written, of course, in his inimitable style and in a font size I can actually read (albeit with my specs on!)
For details on purchasing the New Century Ragtime Orchestra's "Singin' in the Bathtub" (Lake Records LACD336) and for information on future gigs visit http://www.ncro.co.uk/#.
Lance.

2 comments :

Lance said...

... and if this is your kind of music then why not spend the next weekend (Nov 7/8/9) at the Mike Durham Classic Jazz Party held at Village Hotel - nr. Shiremoor. Details in rh column - Pages/Mike Durham's Classic Jazz Party. Much of the music is from the same era and you will even be able to buy a copy of the CD...

Steve Doyle (on F/b) said...

Thanks Lance, traps were shared 50-50, but yes you correctly identified 2 he played on. Hope your well.

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