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Bebop Spoken There

Van Morrison: ''Basically, I'm coming from jazz. Not pop, not rock, not what's commercial. That's where I started, and that's still where I am. I feel the same as I did when I was listening to Louis Armstrong, Lead Belly, Jelly Roll Morton''. (The Northern Echo, 12 June 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

1803759 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 480 of them this year alone and, so far, 58 this month (June 18).

From This Moment On ...

JUNE 2025

Sat 21: Jason Holcomb Jazz Ensemble @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 5:30-7:30pm. Free. A 'Sunderland Year of Music' event.
Sat 21: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 21: Red Kites Jazz @ Staithes Café, Dunston. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Sat 21: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 22: Phoenix 4 @ Wallington, Northumberland. 12 noon-1:00pm & 2:00-3:00pm. Tel: 01670 773606. National Trust admission prices apply. ‘Tunes in the Blooms’.
Sun 22: Lapwing Trio @ Wallington, Northumberland. 1:00-2:00pm. Tel: 01670 773606. National Trust admission prices apply. ‘Tunes in the Blooms’.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Jason Isaacs Trio @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 4:00pm. £18.00. + £1.08 bf.
Sun 22: JazzMain @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 23: MSK Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance.
Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club (1:00pm). Free.

Tues 24: ???

Wed 25: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 25: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 25: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 25: The Magpies of Swing @ The Roxy, Leadgate, Co. Durham. 7:30pm. A Ginger Jitterbugs swing dance event, all welcome.

Thu 26: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Brass Instruments & the use of mutes.

Fri 27: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm.
Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 27: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 8:00pm. ‘Time After Time’.

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, May 29, 2015

Strictly Rehearsing @ The Millstone. May 28

(Review by Russell)
Big band, big crowd, standing room only. Hearty Millstone pub meals, pints of beer, wine by the bottle. Last Thursday in the month, your appointment with the Strictly Smokin’ Big Band’s open public rehearsal. One or two deps in, quality deps at that.
A Foggy Day (arr. Stan Kenton) to start and baritone super dep Sue Ferris wasted no time, standing up, soloing, saying (musically): That’s my standard. Match that boys! Tenor man Paul Gowland worked with the rhythm section (sections out) on I Can’t Believe That You’re In Love with Me (arr. Tom Kubis) – a half-decent reply to Ms Ferris’ opening gambit. Golden Girl Lindsay Hannon suggested it was Too Darn Hot. Yep. Stifling. F’reez (cool name, but it was darn hot) Let the Good Times Roll (the trumpet section firing, guitarist Pawel Jedrzejewski with a bluesy edge).
An interval chat with Francophile Ken Orton (on a short visit to Tyneside). Pete Tanton confirmed some original tunes will be in the set list for his upcoming Jazz Coop set with Messrs Williams, Pope and Morgan at the Globe. Minutes later the Strictly Smokin’ boys and girls – Sue Ferris of course, and good to see Nicola Weaver on alto – were ready to go again.
This month’s session had a distinct rehearsal feel to it. MD Michael Lamb stepped out of the trumpet section more than usual, directing the band, stopping it, reworking bits and pieces (abandoning one chart altogether). Good! This is what one expects of a rehearsal night. The Millstone regulars have, perhaps, become too accustomed to the band’s near-flawless performances. This was the band being put through its paces. The Golden Girl righted matters when she declared I’m Beginning to See the Light. The instrumental high involved Gowland, Keith Robinson and Jamie Toms in a three way tenor exchange. Sax Alley is a crowd pleaser and, rehearsal night or not, it went down a storm.
The band’s next (flawless!) gig will be at the YMCA in Ashington on Saturday 6 June (an Ashington Jazz Festival event) and a Hoochie Coochie special is on the horizon – Sunday 21 June.                             
Russell.
Michael Lamb MD (trumpet), Pete Tanton (trumpet), Gordon Marshall (trumpet), Stephen Wilkinson (trumpet), Kieran Parnaby (trombone), David Barnes (trombone), Robert Perry (trombone), John Flood (trombone), Nicola Weaver (alto saxophone), Keith Robinson (alto & tenor saxophones, flute), Paul Gowland (tenor saxophone), Jamie Toms (tenor saxophone), Sue Ferris (baritone saxophone), Graham Don (keyboards), Pawel Jedrzejewski (guitar), Michael Whent (bass), Guy Swinton (drums), Lindsay Hannon (vocals) & F’reez (vocals)
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