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Bebop Spoken There

Trevor Mires: ''My mum is a Dean Martin fan: I'm not, so I would grab my skateboard and get out of the house whenever I heard "Everybody Loves Somebody, Sometime." ". (Jazzwise, 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

17957 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 278 of them this year alone and, so far, 34 this month (April 14).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Fri 18: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 18: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 18: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.

Fri 18: Alexia Gardner @ Fika Gallery, Oldgate, Morpeth NE61 1LT. 7:00pm. Trio (Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy).RESCHEDULED FOR JUNE 13

Fri 18: Sarah Jane Morris & Tony Remy: The Sisterhood @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. CANCELLED! 7:30pm (doors). £25.00.

Sat 19: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-3:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 19: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 19: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 20: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 20: Salty Dog @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 20: Spilt Milk @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 20: Tweed River Jazz Band @ The Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 20: C.A.L.I.E @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 21: Newcastle Record Fair @ Copthorne Hotel, Newcastle. 10:00am. Going in search of the Buddy Bolden cylinder…
Mon 21: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. Coquetdale Jazz.

Wed 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 23: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 23: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED!

Thu 24: Mary Coughlan @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £33.80. Blues, jazz etc.
Thu 24: Darlington Big Band @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

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

Saturday, January 24, 2015

The Hokum Hotshots @ The Dun Cow, Sunderland. January 23

Hokum Hotshots: Jim Murray (guitars & vocals) & Pete Mason (guitars & vocals) + George Shovlin (guitar & vocals) & George Lamb (guitar & vocals)
(Review by Russell)
Sunderland Blues Club meets fortnightly in the upstairs room at the Head of Steam’s Dun Cow on High Street West. The club’s lynchpin George Shovlin was mighty pleased at the turn-out; the small drawing room-style layout with a trademark Head of Steam twist to an impressive Edwardian building, a photographic still of Stan and Ollie (the legendary duo performed at the adjacent Empire Theatre) at the bar.
Shovelin and fellow Radar George Lamb opened the all-acoustic show with a superb set of  blues standards ranging from Slim Harpo (Got Love If You Want It) to Muddy Waters (Long Distance Call) to Jimmy Witherspoon (Evenin’). Shovelin possesses a voice hewn from Wearside’s proud, defiant industrial heritage. The big-drinking blues crowd (a jazz club could but dream of such patronage!) had heard them all before and no one objected to hearing them one more time.
Murray and Mason do Hokum. Old timey, jug band exponents, the Hokum Hotshots gave a master class in the genre. Self-effacing (Two fat b******* from Shields), the duo, in the most appalling Hawaiian shirts (they’ve been wearing the on-stage clobber for years), do more than play a song –  as historians of the music they entertain and inform as they go. A collection of vintage guitars so rare (National slide, Dobro lapsteel, a mandolin c1950) they’re probably uninsured (premiums prohibitive), the Hokum Hotshots have the hardware and the talent to make the most of it by way of Casey Bill, Tampa Red and many others.
Sunderland Blues Club is a welcome addition to the north east’s flourishing live music scene. Next up at the Dun Cow (January 30, then fortnightly) is another double bill – Struggle Bunny and George Shovlin and Gary Lamb. Doors open at eight o’clock, admission £4.00. If you want a seat get in the queue before eight. Future guests include Mitch Laddie (Feb 13) and the Dave Whiffin Band (Mar 20). Mr Shovlin is onto a winner.                          
Russell.

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