Bebop Spoken There

Donovan Haffner ('Best Newcomer' 2025 Parliamentary Jazz Awards): ''I got into jazz the first time I picked up a saxophone!" - Jazzwise Dec 25/Jan 26

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

18146 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 24 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 7), 24

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Sat 10: Mark Toomey Quintet @ St Peter’s Church, Stockton-on-Tees. 7:30pm. £12.00. (inc. pie & peas). Tickets from: 07749 255038.

Sun 11: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 12: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 12: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 13: Milne Glendinning Band @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00. Coquetdale Jazz.
Tue 13: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 14: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 14: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 15: Mark Toomey Quartet @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. Quartet + guest Paul Donnelly (guitar).

Fri 16: Giles Strong Quartet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 16: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 16: Darlington Big Band @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 16: Leeds City Stompers @ Billy Bootleggers, Newcastle. 9:00pm. 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, November 06, 2014

The Shoeshop Quartet @ King’s Hall Newcastle Uni. November 6

Meghann Clancy (soprano), Hannah Taylor (alto), Laurie Shepherd (tenor) & Ruth Lambert (bass)
(Review by Russell).
The Andrews Sisters, the Puppinis and now the Shoeshop Girls. The close harmony barber shop quartet is experiencing something of a renaissance and the Shoeshop Quartet can only prosper with performances like this one at the King’s Hall. An audience ranging from a group of six year olds to eighty six year olds loved every minute of this lunchtime concert. The ‘girls’ dressed to the nines (forties style) in hats, lashes, dresses and heels.
Mr Sandman, Dream a Little Dream of Me, Cheek to Cheek – great material, four individual voices (Ruth Lambert, bass and Laurie Shepherd, tenor, the touchstones, Hannah Taylor and Meghann Clancy, respectively alto and soprano, invariably sharing the sweetheart limelight)  – the Shoeshoppers know how to put on a show. Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend (so they say), One Fine Day (Goffin & King), the Shoeshoppers’ pad varied in style and era. Lennon and McCartney’s When I’m 64 (the Fab Two did many fab things, harmonies top of the list), Berry Gordy and co.’s I Want You Back ( a dance routine is called for!) and the take-it-down number Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue illustrated the breadth of material performed with consummate skill by the Shoeshopping Sweethearts.
Stefani Germanotta (aka Lady Gaga) found herself on the set list – Bad Romance a favourite with the student element in the hall, as did Eliza Doolittle’s Pack Up (kit bag ‘n’ all). It can’t be too often that popular songs of the thirties dovetail seamlessly with the pop hits of today – King’s Hall or anywhere else for that matter. Checkout www.shoeshopquartet.com
Russell.

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