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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

17945 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 266 of them this year alone and, so far, 22 this month (April 8).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Thu 10: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.CANCELLED!
Thu 10: Magpies of Swing @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £7.00. A Globe fundraiser (all proceeds to the venue).
Thu 10: Exhaust: Camila Nebbia/Kit Downes/Andrew Lisle @ Jesmond URC, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:30pm doors). £13.20., £11.00. JNE.
Thu 10: Jeremy McMurray & the Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Feat. guests Ray Dales & Jackie Summers.

Fri 11: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 1:00pm. £8.00.
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: John Rowland Trio: The Music of Ben Webster @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Rowland (tenor sax); Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass).
Fri 11: Imelda May @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 11: Shunyata Improvisation Group @ Cullercoats Watch House. 7:30-9:00pm. Free (donations).

Sat 12: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 12: Rob Heron & the Tea Pad Orchestra + House of the Black Gardenia + King Bees @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 6:30pm (doors). £18.00.
Sat 12: Bright Street Big Band @ Washington Arts Centre. 6:30pm. £12.00. Event includes swing dance taster session, DJ dance session. Bright Street Big Band on stage 7:30-8:15pm & 8:45-9:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Sat 12: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 12: Imelda May @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £42.20. SOLD OUT!
Sat 12: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 13: Daniel John Martin with Swing Manouche @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 13: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 13: Hejira: A Celebration of Joni Mitchell @ Wylam Brewery, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £22.50.
Sun 13: Wilkinson/Edwards/Noble + Chojnacki @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £13.20., £11.00. JNE.

Mon 14: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 14: Zoë Gilby Quintet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 15: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 16: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ 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. 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

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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