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Bebop Spoken There

Xhosa Cole: ''Monk was unapologetically himself". (Jazzwise, February 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

17744 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 64 of them this year alone and, so far, 64 this month (Jan. 26).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Thu 30: Matters Unknown (aka Jonathan Enser, Nubiyan Twist) + support TBA @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £12.22 (gig & food); £9:04 (gig only).
Thu 30: Soznak @ The Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 30: Struggle Buggy @ Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Rhythm & blues.

Fri 31: Alan Barnes Quartet @ The Old Library, Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 12 noon-2:00pm (two sets). £12.00. admission (card or cash at the door). Barnes (alto sax, baritone sax, clarinet); Alan Law (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums). Note change of venue, no longer at Mrs M’s as advertised, the concert will be in the Old Library (Bishop Auckland Jazz’s regular venue). Important! It’s a ‘BYOB’ arrangement - ie bring your own booze (and/or tea, coffee, soft drinks).
Fri 31: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 31: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 31: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 31: Café Orkestar @ Café Under the Spire, Gateshead. 6:00pm. ‘Klezmer, Gypsy Jazz, Balkan & More!’.
Fri 31: Nothing in Rambling @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £10.00. + bf. Country blues duo.
Fri 31 Zoë Gilby Quartet @ Wylam Institute. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £15.00. + £1.50. bf.
Fri 31: Creakin’ Bones & the Sunday Dinners @ White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £10.00 + bf. Jazz, blues , jump jive, rock ‘n’ roll.
Fri 31: Alan Barnes Quartet @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £15.00 Barnes (alto sax, baritone sax, clarinet); Alan Law (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 31: SwanNek + Rivkala @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 8:00pm. SwanNek’s new single launch gig. Pilgrim, formerly Hoochie Coochie.
Fri 31: King Bees @ Blues Underground; Nelson St., Newcastle. 9:00pm. Free. Superb Chicago blues band.

February 2025

Sat 01: Alan Barnes & John Hallam with the Tom Kincaid Trio @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 01: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £25.00. Tutor: Steve Glendinning - Cy Coleman’s Witchcraft. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 01: Darling Dollies @ St George’s Church, Jesmond, Newcastle. 3:00pm. £10.00. Vocal trio.
Sat 01: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 01: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 01: Rockin’ Turner Brothers @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Western swing etc.

Sun 02: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 02: Lewis Watson Quartet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 02: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free (donations).
Sun 02: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 02: Spilt Milk @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 5:15-7:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 02: Jive Aces @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:00pm. Sun 02: John Pope + Andy Champion + Ian Paterson @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. ‘Subterranean Explorations 1’. Three (half hour) solo bass sets.
Sun 02: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 03: Andy Watt & Dan Rogers @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance. Jazz, blues, folk etc.
Mon 03: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 04: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, North St., Ferryhill DL17 8HX. 7:00pm. Free.
Tue 04: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Ben Phillips, Paul Grainger, Bailey Rudd.
Tue 04: Dilutey Juice + Life Aquatics Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Wed 05: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 05: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 05: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

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!

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