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Bebop Spoken There

Xhosa Cole: ''Monk was unapologetically himself". (Jazzwise, February 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

17744 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 64 of them this year alone and, so far, 64 this month (Jan. 26).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Thu 30: Matters Unknown (aka Jonathan Enser, Nubiyan Twist) + support TBA @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £12.22 (gig & food); £9:04 (gig only).
Thu 30: Soznak @ The Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 30: Struggle Buggy @ Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Rhythm & blues.

Fri 31: Alan Barnes Quartet @ The Old Library, Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 12 noon-2:00pm (two sets). £12.00. admission (card or cash at the door). Barnes (alto sax, baritone sax, clarinet); Alan Law (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums). Note change of venue, no longer at Mrs M’s as advertised, the concert will be in the Old Library (Bishop Auckland Jazz’s regular venue). Important! It’s a ‘BYOB’ arrangement - ie bring your own booze (and/or tea, coffee, soft drinks).
Fri 31: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 31: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 31: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 31: Café Orkestar @ Café Under the Spire, Gateshead. 6:00pm. ‘Klezmer, Gypsy Jazz, Balkan & More!’.
Fri 31: Nothing in Rambling @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £10.00. + bf. Country blues duo.
Fri 31 Zoë Gilby Quartet @ Wylam Institute. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £15.00. + £1.50. bf.
Fri 31: Creakin’ Bones & the Sunday Dinners @ White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £10.00 + bf. Jazz, blues , jump jive, rock ‘n’ roll.
Fri 31: Alan Barnes Quartet @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £15.00 Barnes (alto sax, baritone sax, clarinet); Alan Law (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 31: SwanNek + Rivkala @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 8:00pm. SwanNek’s new single launch gig. Pilgrim, formerly Hoochie Coochie.
Fri 31: King Bees @ Blues Underground; Nelson St., Newcastle. 9:00pm. Free. Superb Chicago blues band.

February 2025

Sat 01: Alan Barnes & John Hallam with the Tom Kincaid Trio @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 01: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £25.00. Tutor: Steve Glendinning - Cy Coleman’s Witchcraft. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 01: Darling Dollies @ St George’s Church, Jesmond, Newcastle. 3:00pm. £10.00. Vocal trio.
Sat 01: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 01: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 01: Rockin’ Turner Brothers @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Western swing etc.

Sun 02: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 02: Lewis Watson Quartet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 02: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free (donations).
Sun 02: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 02: Spilt Milk @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 5:15-7:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 02: Jive Aces @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:00pm. Sun 02: John Pope + Andy Champion + Ian Paterson @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. ‘Subterranean Explorations 1’. Three (half hour) solo bass sets.
Sun 02: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 03: Andy Watt & Dan Rogers @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance. Jazz, blues, folk etc.
Mon 03: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 04: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, North St., Ferryhill DL17 8HX. 7:00pm. Free.
Tue 04: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Ben Phillips, Paul Grainger, Bailey Rudd.
Tue 04: Dilutey Juice + Life Aquatics Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Wed 05: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 05: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 05: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, 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

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Requiem by the River - Jazz Esquires @ The Porthole

Miles Watson (tpt/vcl); Pepe Greenaway (alt); Laurie Brown (ten/clt/dms); Roy Gibson (pno); Robin Douthwaite (gtr); Peter Ninnim (dms) + Teresa Armstrong & Dave Bosomworth (vcl).
(Review and remembrance by Lance).
This was quite an emotional day for me - not because it was the Eve of Christmas but because it was the Eve of Destruction for The Porthole pub. A pub that has stood for many years near North Shields' Ferry Landing, now faces the fate of its once glorious neighbours the Crane Locker and the Northumberland Arms (AKA "The Jungle").
For at least 25 years, maybe longer, the Porthole has been a popular jazz watering hole and many are the names both local and beyond who have passed through its portals.
Back in the old days, reed players Munro Sutherland and Russell the barber* (not to be confused with Russell the BSH scribe whom, coincidentally, I first met here and who was also present at today's wake,) held court. Bass player J. C. Hallam, looked in and recalled them as being contenders for the worst clarinet players ever!
Hughie Aitchison played trumpet as did Joe McMullen  who, I think, formed the original version of the current Jazz Esquires.
Stan Martin, Eric Pollard, Tommy Moran, Ian Trewella, Arthur Mowatt, were among the saxes. Derek Dixon was just one of the many bass players and his own wake was held at the pub. Gordon Bage, George Laing played piano as did Bob Coulson and Roy Gibson whose birthday it was today. Eric Gamblin on guitar, Joe Garner bass the list is endless - not forgetting the afternoon I took Eric Delaney over - magic moments. My apologies to all of those musicians that I've missed out - just too many - carve their names with pride.
Apart from the Jazz Esquires, the Maine Street Jazzmen and Rendezvous Jazz also had lunchtime gigs here and no doubt many others.
Today the current alumni, listed above, gave a spirited performance of the tried and tested with Teresa (pictured) in good voice and we wish them all the best for 2015 at their new venue (literally) up the road at the Magnesia Bank (Jan 7, 1pm.)
Lance.
* Russell the barber, incidentally had a baritone sax that once belonged to George Melachrino. He sold it to my dear friend the late Charlie Carmichael who in turn sold it on to Chris, a workmate of mine, and Chris, eventually, sold it in Amsterdam!  Where is it today I wonder?

1 comment :

Laurie Brown said...

Must be 20 years ago (or more) since I first went to the Porthole
and sat in while Johnny Jackson had a tete a tete with his
girlfriend.I sometimes had a job getting him back on the
drums as I had to get back to work ! I sat in (badly) on guitar
for a while then after many many years off the instrument
bought a set of vibes I then took over the drum chair after
Johnny retired from playing. Had many happy years with Joe
Mac, Arthur Mowatt and more fine musicians. I took over the
band eventually and although sad to lose the venue a new
venture awaits at the Magnesia Bank.I have switched to tenor
sax at age 80 years after 64 years drumming mainly for a new
challenge but also increasing arthritis pain (good job I've got my own
band to practice on!)

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