Bebop Spoken There

Gary Bartz: ''Music is nature's gift to man. It's the only religion. We're living in a terrible era, but what a beautiful thing music is. Look how it brings us together like religion is supposed to; and with no language barriers.'' (Jazzwise September, 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

18878 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 742 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Sept. 4.) 21.

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

From This Moment On

September.

Fri 11: Esther Bennett @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £10.00. Esther Bennett (vocals); Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass).
Fri 11: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 11: Ray Stubbs’ R&B All Stars @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £14.09 (inc. bf).

Sat 12: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 12: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £16.26 (inc. bf).

Sun 13: 58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00-3:00pm. Free.
Sun 13: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 13: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 13: King Bees @ Shape Patisserie, Darlington. 3:00pm. Free. Duo (Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor). A Rhythm & Blues Fringe event. Blues excellence.
Sun 13: Alligator Gumbo @ The Cluny. 5:00pm. £17.15.; £11.43; £5.72.
Sun 13: Eternal Triangle + Andy Champion @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. JNE.

Mon 14: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 15: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Ben Lawrence, Paul Grainger, Bailey Rudd.

Wed 16: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 16: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 16: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 17: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 17: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 17: Front Porch Blues @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 17: Miles 100 @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £7.00. Jack Courtney (trumpet); Sue Ferris (tenor sax); Tom Atkinson (guitar); Alan Law (piano); Deon Krishnan (bass); Jeff Armstrong (drums). A night of Miles Davis.
Thu 17: Amphitrio @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £7.00. Andrei Petrache (piano); Mike Alex (double bass); Philip Goron (drums).

Friday, January 30, 2015

Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ The Millstone. January 29

(Review by Russell)
The Strictly Smokin’ session at the Millstone is fast becoming the ‘must get to’ gig on the local scene, second only to the band’s all too infrequent appearances at Hoochie Coochie. Word of mouth has ensured all seats are taken in advance of the seven o’clock start in the upstairs room of the Haddricks Mill Road hostelry. Arrive early to bag a seat.
One or two deps (to be expected in a band of this size) spiced it up a bit and MD Michael Lamb went to and fro – trumpet section to rostrum – keeping an eye/ear on developments.  For openers – Song for My Father and the sing-a-long Sweet Georgia Brown.
Vocalist James Hedley couldn’t hang around so he got his quota in early; Beyond the Sea and Fly Me to the Moon (Keith Robinson flute intro). Trumpeter Pete Tanton took several cracking solos, the first of them on an excellent arrangement of After You’ve Gone. Dizzy popped up with Night in Tunisia and Hedley signed-off with Almost Like Being in Love.
Interval: a chat with Kath J, John T, Tony, Lucy, Mary, Peter, Phil, Barry A, the barmaid (another pint of Rivet Catcher, please).
Second set: Veronica Lake arrived. In Guy Swinton’s absence ex-pat American trumpeter Pete Tanton announced the programme. The band played In the Mood. Tanton explained that the arrangement was the one used by Doc Severinsen on Tonight (Johnny Carson). A plethora of soloists stood up throughout the evening, not a weak link in sight (a sure sign of a first rate band). Ms Lake (the wonderful Lindsay Hannon) took to the microphone. A tune or two (Makin’ Whoopee and I’ve Got You Under My Skin) and LH was done, such is the nature of a public rehearsal session. One tune caught the ear – El Caborojeno. This Bob Mintzer tune has to be heard again (thanks to PT for the correct spelling of El C…!). February’s session (26th), always the last Thursday in the month, is certain to be every bit as good. Seven o’clock sharp.
Russell.                           
Michael Lamb, Gordon Marshall, Dick Stacey & Pete Tanton (trumpets), Mark Ferris, Dr John Flood, Caroline Norris, Kieran Parnaby (trombones), Paul Gowland (tenor saxophone), Jamie Toms (tenor saxophone), Keith Robinson (alto saxophone, flute), Steve Summers (alto saxophone), Chris Karberry (baritone saxophone), Pawel Jedrzejewski (guitar), Graham Don (keyboards), Michael Whent (electric bass), Steve Wall (drums), James Hedley (vocals) & Lindsay Hannon (vocals)
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