Bebop Spoken There

Emma Rawicz: "In a couple of years I've gone from being a normal university student to suddenly being on international stages." DownBeat January 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

18246 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 100 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 31), 100

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Wed 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 04: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 04: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 05: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject:Times of the Day & Trios.
Thu 05: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Special guest Emma Wilson.
Thu 05: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 06: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 06: Durham Alumni Big Band & Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn Theatre. 7:30pm. £12.00. Two big bands on stage together!
Fri 06: Nauta + Littlewood Trio @ Little Buildings, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Double bill + jam session.
Fri 06: FILM: Made in America @ Star & Shadow Cinema, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Ornette Coleman.
Fri 06: Deep Six Blues @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm.

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: 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.

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

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Preview: Nucleus With Leon Thomas -: Live 1970

Leon Thomas – vocals; Ian Carr - trumpet & flugelhorn; Karl Jenkins - oboe & piano; Brian Smith - soprano & tenor sax, flute; Chris Spedding – guitar; Jeff Clyne – bass; John Marshall – drums.
(Press Release - actual review by one of our team will be posted nearer the release date - Lance)
This is the first official release of the June 1970 Montreux Jazz Festival concert featuring trumpeter Ian Carr’s pioneering Nucleus performing with US vocalist Leon Thomas on a set of Thomas’ own repertoire including ‘The Creator Has A Master Plan’ (originally recorded in 1969 with Pharaoh Saunders). 
Nucleus won first prize representing the United Kingdom at the Festival that year, and were performing at the height of their powers with their first and finest line-up. The collaboration with Thomas is (in Ian’s words) a combination of the “rock thing…with the roots of the music”, but it is more than that: a band and singer in tune with one another, aware of all the contemporary developments in jazz, and of the music’s past, who are prepared to delve into all those areas to produce a sound that’s gloriously alive!
Tracklisting
A1. The Creator Has A Master Plan
B1. Echoes
B2. Damn ‘Nam (Ain’t Going To Viet Nam)
C1. One
C2. Chains Of Love
D1. The Journey
Release Date November 25. Format: 2 x 12” 33rpm Vinyl LP in gatefold sleeve includes free download code sticker.
Mastered by Jeremy Cooper at Gearbox Records
Produced by Darrel Sheinman for Gearbox Records
Cut on Haeco Scully lathe with Westrex RA1700 series amps, Westrex 3DIIA cutting head and Telefunken U73B tube limiter; Maselec master control and equalization.
at

2 comments :

Andy Isham (on F/b) said...

Who'd have thought it?

Thursday, October 23, 2014 9:43:00 AM
Russell said...

A few random observations about the line-up on the recording...Leon Thomas toured with Santana in the seventies (Newcastle City Hall), Ian Carr's Nucleus rocked-up at, of all places, the Buddle Arts Centre, Wallsend. In the line-up that night was ex pat Tynesider Mark Wood (guitar) and Chris Spedding visited the Jazz Café on Pink Lane a few months ago with Charlotte Glasson.

Sunday, October 26, 2014 11:46:00 AM

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