Bebop Spoken There

Jools Holland (on his 2026 spring/summer tour): ''With the mighty [R&B] Orchestra, our wonderful boogie woogie singers, and the brilliant Joe Webb opening the shows [including Darlington Hippodrome, June 19], we're in for some very special evenings of music.'' The Northern Echo February 5, 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

18263 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 117 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Feb. 6), 17

From This Moment On ...

February

Sat 07: The Big Easy @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 07: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30-3:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 07: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. St Thomas & Bésame Mucho. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 07: Side Cafe Oᴙkestar @ Café Under the Spire, Gateshead. 6:30pm. Table reservations: 0191 477 3970.
Sat 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 08: Swing Tyne @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12 noon (doors). Donations. Swing dance taster class (12:30pm) + Hot Club de Heaton (live performance). Non dancers welcome.
Sun 08: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 09: Mark Williams Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 09: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 10: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 11: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington.. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 11: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 12: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 13: Noel Dennis Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm . £9.00. Dennis (trumpet, flugelhorn); Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 13: Joe Steels @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 13: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm.
Fri 13: Tom Remon & John Moriarty @ The Ship Isis, Silksworth Row, Sunderland SR1 3QJ. 7:00pm. £10.00 + £1.00 bf.

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, October 28, 2015

CD Review: Hot Jazz Jumpers - The Very Next Thing

(Review by Lance.)
The music here is of such an eclectic mix that I wonder if there is an audience out there capable of being empathetic to the variety of styles and modes/moods on this CD/DVD. It's trad, skiffle, gospel, funk, hip-hop, bossa and probably a few other genres too!
Indiana - more or less, straight Dixie. Freight Train - updated skiffle. Caravan - Duke, Tizol and co turning in their graves. You Are My Sunshine - a little cloudy. Nobody But My Baby - Hershey, best bar none. In a Mellow Tone - Duke's stopped turning, maybe even loves this madly. Griffith's vocal brings Jon Hendricks to mind. 
Jock-A-Mo -  a calypso sort of thing with with Hershey "Iko Iko-ing".
Dirty40, a Nick Russo original, Chicago blues meets?  Sweet Georgia Brown - Hershey w. Russo on banjo is a must for those folk who love vocals accompanied by banjo and traps.
Manha de Carnival - Griff and Nick (back on guitar) give an interesting, and enjoyable, take on this one, Jam For Lenny features Josh Holcombe on trombone. Could this be the guy who played with King Bee and the Hot Sardines? Jason? Josh? could be - answers on a fifty dollar bill.
Ain't Misbehavin' - Betina in fine voice.
I've Got my Mojo Workin' - Betina and Miles - the mojos workin'.  When the Red Red Robin gets back to the Dixieland with trumpet, clarinet, banjo, bass and drums goosing Betina (musically).
This Little Light of Mine didn't shine for me. More Jock-A-Mo then Nick Russo and Griffith in 5:07 mins of Free Improv which may not grab them 'as liked Indiana!
Michael Steinman of Jazz Lives says, "their range of repertoire is delightful broad, brave, and the results are compelling".
Michael, if you are at Whitley Bay this year, we need to talk!
Lance.
Nick Russo (gtr/bjo etc.); Betina Hershey (vcl/gtr); Miles Griffith (vcl); David Pleasant (dms/vcl/hca); Essiet Essiet/ Mamdou Ba (bs); Gordon Au (tpt); Josh Holcombe (tmb); Dennis Lichtman (clt); Mike Russo (gtr). (Collective personnel).

No comments :

Blog Archive