Bebop Spoken There

John Donegan: ''What you take in through your ears can come out through your fingers.'' (Notes to Which Direction October, 2026)

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

19,041 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 905 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Oct. 26) 84.

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

From This Moment On

October.

Tue 27: Alan Law @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free. Alan Law (piano) w. guest Julija Jacenaite.
Tue 27: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free (donations).

Wed 28: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 28: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 28: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 29: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 29: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 29: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 29: Radio Pensacola Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 8:00pm. Featuring guest Jan Spencelayh.
Thu 29: Simon Taylor Band @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. £8.00.
Thu 29: King Bees @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Superb Chicago blues band.

Fri 30: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 30: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 30: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.

Sat 31: Saltburn Big Band + Durham Alumni Big Band @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Sat 31: East Coast Swing Band @ Cramlington Village Club, Park View, Cramlington NE23 6QJ. 7:30pm. £10.00. (from venue).

November

Sun 01: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 01: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Quintet w. special guest Donna Hewitt (tenor sax, clarinet)
Sun 01: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: Sarah Heneghan Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 02: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 02: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

The Bell & Bucket New Orleans Jazz Festival. May 25

Paul Bacon (drums), Liz Bacon (clarinet), Jeff Milner (trombone & vocals), Sarah Thatcher (banjo & guitar), Mike ‘Spike’ Kennedy (double bass) & Emily Bacon (vocals)
Review by Russell).
Bank holiday Monday at the end of May means one thing…it’s the Bell and Bucket New Orleans Jazz Festival! This 2015 festival, the second of hopefully many more to come in years to come, mimicked last year’s inaugural event; a two day event, a one o’clock start with invited guests from around the UK and the support of the weekly Monday session’s regulars.
The Bacons – Paul and Liz – are dedicated practitioners of the music of New Orleans. In a nice touch they invited daughter Emily to return to Tyneside to sing at this year’s event. Ms Bacon lives in Bangor, Wales. Sarah Thatcher (banjo and guitar) lives in Newport (in Wales, not Rhode Island), making for a one-third Welsh-based contingent on the stand. A fifty-fifty split in genders made for an unusually healthy number of female musicians in a world all-to-frequently dominated by BOFs (of the male variety). Trombonist Jeff Milner returned following his well-received appearance at last year’s festival and Spike Kennedy (bass) was making his debut at the Norfolk Street festival.
Emily Bacon wasted no time getting up to sing In a Sentimental Mood and, iPhone at the ready (a lyrics’ download, you know), You Are My Sunshine. Mr Milner showed he could sing as well as play trombone on Love Letters in the Sand. Liz Bacon (clarinet) and Emily Bacon teamed up on Crazy and Emily stayed on to sing everyone’s favourite – All of Me.
Festival interval raffle prizes were many – bottles of plonk and various Bacon/Mississippi Dreamboats’ CD releases to choose from. Cullercoats Brewery dominated the bar (no bad thing) and the sun shone, what more could one ask for on a holiday weekend?
Second set. One or two (welcome) later comers boosted numbers. A Ducal treat – Creole Love Call and Mood Indigo (the latter featuring Emily’s vocals) – ensured that day one of this year’s festival got the thumbs-up from all present. Sarah Thatcher’s musicianship got the thumbs-up from your reviewer, as did her rhythm partner Spike Kennedy.
Day two (Tuesday) features three of the north east’s finest; Mr Mac Rae (on this occasion on clarinet), trombonist Laurence McBriarty (to quote Paul Bacon: He can play anything) and pianist Dick Straughn. Sarah Thatcher and Mike Kennedy are staying over. They are well-worth catching. One o’clock start and it’s free admission.        
Russell.
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