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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, 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

17923 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 244 of them this year alone and, so far, 91 this month (March 31).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Thu 03: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Women in Jazz.
Thu 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 03: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. A Tees Hot Club promotion. First Thursday in the month.

Fri 04: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 04: Ruth Lambert Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Fri 04: Tom McGuire & the Brassholes @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00.
Fri 04: Nicolas Meier’s Infinity Group + Spirit of Jeff Beck @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm.

Sat 05: Tenement Jazz Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 05: Sleep Suppressor @ Head of Steam, Newcastle. 5:30-6:00pm.
Sat 05: King Bees @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Raymond MacDonald & Jer Reid @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 6:00-9:30pm. £7.72., £1.00. (minimum donation). MacDonald & Reid + Objections + Yotuns.
Sat 05: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Kamasi Washington @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £33.00.
Sat 05: Vermont Big Band @ The Seahorse, Whitley Bay. 7:30pm. Tickets: £10.00 (from the venue).
Sat 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 06: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 06: Learning & Participation Showcase @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm (1:00pm doors). Free. Featuring participants from Play More Jazz! Play More Folk! Blue Jam Singers & more.
Sun 06: Joe Steels Group @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Ferg Kilsby, Joe Steels, Ben Lawrence, Paul Susans, John Hirst.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Hooch, Quayside, Newcastle. 6:00pm.
Sun 06: Leeway @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 07: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 08: ???

Wed 09: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 09: Tannery jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm.
Wed 09: Anatole Muster Trio @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £17.50., £12.50. concs.
Wed 09: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED?

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

Sunday, December 21, 2014

Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ Black Swan - Newcastle Arts Centre: December 20

(Review by Ann Alex/photo by Mike Tilley)
They were certainly smokingly good, firing on all cylinders, and in (not too) strict timing, as a big band needs to be. A real Christmas treat, right from the start, with a jazz version of We Three Kings right through to the final tune, which included two altos duelling and a spirited Good King Wenceslas. A brilliant way to start the Christmas break, and mostly Christmas songs in the second half.
We were sitting at a front table nearest to the stage and I was impressed by the sheer power of a big band in full action.  So this is what the Big Band Era was all about! All the soloists did their stuff well and it isn’t really fair to mention individuals.  The saxes swung wonderfully, including the baritone, especially in Sax Alley, which rounded off the first half, with saxes in tuneful harmony, then sharing a line of music between three tenors (Steve Summers having switched from alto to tenor for this Battle Royal), then jousting with each other before coming together again. The trombones featured on God Rest Ye Merry Trombones and the trumpets became flugelhorns for the American version of It Came Upon A Midnight Clear, which was introduced by the only American in the band. I actually preferred the tune from across the pond as it is more haunting than the usual tune. The drums shone on Little Drummer Boy (well he would, wouldn't he?!) with a steady background beat and the guitars and keys strutted their stuff admirably.
And the singers did well, even though two of them, Steve Morton and Belinda Voshtina, were last minute replacements.  Steve gave us a spirited Let The Good Times Roll; The Best Is Yet To Come and a yearning Last Christmas I Gave You My Heart.  Belinda shone on Jingle Bell Rock and Santa Baby. Lindsay Hannon was not only singing in the second half, but also displaying her new dress from the Artwear Emporium, a new establishment in Newcastle.  The dress, was made to measure, black, waisted, with a fancy neckline and a stunning red lining. The singing was delightful, Chuck E’s In Love; Route 66; Baby It’s Cold Outside (with Steve); then all three singers rounded off with Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.  Tunes which weren’t about Christmas included Catch As Catch Can; Have You Met Miss Jones?; Song For my Father; The Blues Machine; and The Best Is Yet To Come.
I loved this gig and so did everyone else if the shouts for more were anything to go by.
Ann Alex 
Michael Lamb (MD/tpt/flug); Pete Tanton, Gordon Marshall, Dick Stacey (tpt/flug); Matt Ferris, Kieran Parnaby, Mr John Flood, Robert ‘Pez’ Perry (tmb); Steve Summers, Keith Robinson(alt), Paul Gowland, Jamie Toms (ten), Laurie Rangecroft (bar); Graham Don (pno); Pawel Jedrzejewski (gtr); Michael Whent (bs); Guy Swinton (dms); Belinda Voshtina, Lindsay Hannon, Steve Morton (vcls). 

2 comments :

Lance said...

And don't forget you can hear them again at Hoochie Coochie next Sunday, Dec. 28, 5pm with Paul Skerritt on vocals

Patti D. said...

Oh yes - I'm hot to trot for this one - can't get enough of 'em! And what an ace gig last night - the band's repertoire never fails to amaze me!!

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