Total Pageviews

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.

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?

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.

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

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. March 15

(Review by Russell/Photos courtesy of Roly Veitch & Deirdre Grant).
Blaydon Jazz Club at the Black Bull. The Strictly Smokin’ Big Band strolled into town, suited and booted. Small room, big band. The saxophone section assembled on the floor in front of the small stage. Blaydon regulars filed in looking to claim their usual perch. Instrument cases littered the floor and covered table tops as a sound check took place. One sensed this was going to be something special.
Bandleader Michael Lamb led the way with the first solo of the night on Ol’ Man River. The band’s power almost took the breath away, some were stunned. A sensational start. Depping vocalist Paul Skerritt Let the Good Times Roll; style, presence, timing. Gerry Mulligan’s Red Door and Frankie and Johnny and a Trombone Guy worked as swinging big band tunes.
Veronica Lake (aka Lindsay Hannon) confessed: Alright, Okay You Win. Ms Hannon is a natural big band singer. Skerritt took the floor once more to sing Cheek to Cheek (the all-too-small lounge precluded dancing). I Got Plenty o’ Nuttin hip-hop style worked against expectations as the locked-in rhythm section didn’t miss a hip-hop beat. Moondance had Mr Skerritt ‘working the room’ with an easy charm. First set done (numerous top flight solo spots, superb section work), any concerns about the Strictly Smokin’ in the Black Bull’s small lounge had been swept away. Time for a refill before the second set.
The Buddy Rich big band arrangement of Love for Sale knocked ‘em for six (ace solos from Steve Summers, the depping Graham Hardy and Paul Gowland). The trumpet section – Lamb, Hardy. Gordon Marshall and the gum-chewing Dick Stacey – really nailed the intro on Pianitis (thrilling stuff!). Thad Jones’ Us was the stuff of the Monday night blowing big band (close your eyes and you were in NYC). The Strictly Smokin’s Three Tenors, Messrs Summers, Gowland and Jamie Toms stood up and had a blast on Sax Alley. MD Michael Lamb brought along a challenging chart by Tom Garling – Song for A.E.G. – and the boys in the band did splendidly. Think not so much straight ahead big band fare, more Gil Evans. It was, perhaps, the musical highlight of the evening.
The SSBB has many accomplished soloists in its ranks. All shone, with particularly outstanding contributions from Hardy, Graham Don (keyboards), Guy Swinton (drums) and Jamie Toms. The night was an unqualified success. A return visit to Blaydon Jazz Club by the Strictly Smokin’ Big Band should guarantee a full house. Be there.       
Photos
Russell.         
Michael Lamb (MD), Dick Stacey, Graham Hardy & Gordon Marshall (trumpets), Kieran Parnaby, Mark Ferris, Tom Dowling & John Flood (trombones), Paul Gowland (tenor saxophone), Jamie Toms (tenor saxophone), Steve Summers (tenor, alto & soprano saxophones, clarinet), Keith Robinson (alto saxophone), Laurie Rangecroft (baritone saxophone), Pawel Jedrzejewski (guitar), Graham Don (keyboards), Michael Whent (bass), Guy Swinton (drums), Lindsay Hannon & Paul Skerritt (vocals)

2 comments :

Patti D. said...

Oh, what a night ... and I missed it!! Sounds absolutely fabulous.

Hugh said...

Nice review, Russell - and neatly sums up the evening.

You forgot one thing though, Steve Summers' flute - I certainly saw it, but I'm not sure I heard it!

Blog Archive