Total Pageviews

Bebop Spoken There

Kurt Elling: ''There's something to learn from every musician you play with''. (DownBeat, December 2024).

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

17630 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 904 of them this year alone and, so far, 49 this month (Dec. 20).

From This Moment On ...

December

Thu 26: The Boneshakers @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. The 17th annual Boneshakers’ Shindig.

Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free. Business as usual!.
Fri 27: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 27: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sat 28: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 11:30am. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 28: Fri 20: Castillo Nuevo @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 28: Jude Murphy, Rich Herdman & Giles Strong @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 28: Ray Stubbs R & B All-Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Stepney Bank, Newcastle. 9:00pm. Free.

Sun 29: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 29: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 30: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Wheatsheaf, Benton Sq., Whitley Road, Palmersville NE12 9SU. Tel: 0191 266 8137. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 30: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.

Tue 31: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 12 noon-2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Tue 31: Lapwing Trio @ Wallington (National Trust), Cambo, Morpeth NE61 4AR. 12 noon & 2:00pm. Admission to site £19.00.
Tue 31: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Tue 31: Archie Brown & Friends @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00-8:00pm. Free.

January 2025

Wed 01: ???

Thu 02: ???

Fri 03: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 03: John Gregory @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar.

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, March 04, 2015

Did You Go Agogo?

(Recollection by Roly)
I've just been down memory lane checking out a few links on Club Agogo at the Handyside Arcade, Percy Street.
I was in Percy Street today shopping and it brought it all back.
I seem to remember going towards the back of the arcade then up some stairs onto a higher level then into a doorway and up more stairs into the club. There were two rooms - one on the left with a stage for band and dance floor. To the right a more intimate room to sit and listen. The walls were painted with luminous paint that glowed in the dark - it was a New York skyline with all the famous NY clubs named.  It had great atmosphere and it was very exciting to go there and hear some great R’n’B bands. This would be in the mid 60s.  
Of many great bands, I particularly liked two regular visitors.  One was Alex Harvey's Soul Band (Alex later had commercial success but started as a pure folk blues and R'n'B exponent). He seemed to be a bit of a tough character and had a quite explicit stage act - no shrinking violet he! He had great charisma though and I remember he had in the band a fantastic guitarist who I suspect was a jazzer earning a few quid with a top R'n'B band. I've often wondered who it was. I asked Jim Mullen once but he denied it was him.
The other knockout band was Spencer Davis group. This was because of the amazing young prodigy - Steve Winwood.  Steve sang and played piano like Ray Charles, played great R’n’B styled guitar, played very good harmonica and generally sang, played, danced and had such a good time on stage it was just something else.  I believe Paul Booth has worked with him quite a lot in more recent times.
Ah well - the Swinging Sixties eh??  I wonder if any site visitors have any Club Agogo memories to relate?
Here are some links for anyone wanting to know more. 
http://www.hendrixnortheast.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/hendrix/clubagogo.htm
http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/lifestyle/nostalgia/club-oozing-real-up-gogo-1492046
Roly

3 comments :

Patti D. said...

This sounds fabulous - really swinging!! I moved up in 1966 - but M and I never went .... shame, shame, shame!! I did used to go to the clubs in Brighton though - and there was a Whiskey A Gogo place, plus the infamous Starlight Rooms. Where many a young lad and lass went astray!!

Brian Bennett said...

Undoubtedly the best live music venue in Newcastle during the 60's. Along with a group of friends and colleagues from Redheads Advertising Ltd, we went there mainly on Thursday evenings and heard some of the best bands around at the time. One of my favourites was the Herbie Goins Band who I first saw at a beat club in Oxford Street, London, in the mid 60's and again shortly afterwards when they played the A'Gogo. Californian band, Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band were incredible. Also Julie Driscoll & the Brian Auger Trinity. I remember the Jazz Lounge was absolutely jam packed; the heat was unbearable and you could see condensation running down the walls. The Trinity came on stage and played an opening number, then just as Brian Auger brought Julie Driscoll onto stage to perform her first song, my then girlfriend fainted. Somehow we managed to carry her through to the 'Young Set' lounge where she eventually recovered...in the distance I could hear Julie singing 'This Wheels on Fire' which was her big hit at the time.

David Murphy said...

What a coincidence! Haven't checked this blog for years and immediately I see Roly's note about the Go Go club, somewhere I can closely relate to with fond memories. For a couple of years ('62-'64) I was proud to be a young bass player with the Mike Carr jazz group playing Saturday nights ten till two am in the jazz lounge. Mike was on piano and vibes, Johnny Butts drums, Ian Carr trumpet, Gary Cox tenor sax, and Willie Payne guitar. What a place, heaving with punters. Big name jazz players used to sit in after playing their gig at the City Hall or whatever. I learned so much in those two years in a terrific atmosphere with musicians who were up there with the best. Happy nights! (Hope you're keeping OK Roly).

Blog Archive