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Bebop Spoken There

George Porter Jr.: ''To me, syncopation is like jazz. It wasn't meant for the masses. It was meant just for a hip few". (DownBeat, May 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

18018 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 339 of them this year alone and, so far, 17 this month (May 7).

From This Moment On ...

MAY 2025

Thu 15: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: The Greatest in Jazz - Guitarists.
Thu 15: Pete Tanton & the Cuban Heels @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 15: New Ways of Moving in the Counterworlds @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). John Garner & John Pope.

Fri 16: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 16: Sophie Speed with the Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 16: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 16: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 16: Giles Strong Quartet @ Longframlington Memorial Hall. 7:00pm (doors). Tickets: £12.00. from 01665 570984.
Fri 16: Hot Club du Nord @ St Cuthbert’s Centre, Crook. 7:30pm. £10.00.
Fri 16: Peter Donegan & Anthony Donegan @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 7:30pm. ‘Lonnie Donegan - The Stories’.

Sat 17: Teresa Watson Band @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Blues.
Sat 17: The Society Quartet @ Hilton Garden Inn, Sunderland. 6:00pm. Tel: 0191 500 9494. £26.00 (inc. two course meal). Line-up: Jason Holcomb, Hannah Taylor, Alix Shepherd & Abbie Finn.
Sat 17: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 17: Archie Brown & the Young Bucks @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Rhythm & blues, Americana etc.
Sat 17: Rockin’ Turner Brothers @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Rockabilly, Western swing etc.

Sun 18: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 12 noon-2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 18: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 18: Ruth Lambert & Giles Strong @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 18: Steve Summers Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 19: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 19: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 20: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, Bailey Rudd.
Tue 20: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Pleased to Meet You, Bridge St., Morpeth NE61 1ND. 8:00pm.

Wed 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 21: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 21: 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

Monday, August 01, 2016

Musicians Unlimited @ The Park Inn. July 31

(Review by Russell)
Musicians Unlimited’s weekly gig at the Park Inn is an institution. For several years the session at the Studio on Tower Street drew large crowds and the move along the road to the Park Inn didn’t deter the band’s faithful followers. The band’s winning formula is a simple one: a welcoming venue, the musicians on the stand are some of the best around and the pad comprises much-loved numbers.
The train journey from Newcastle to Hartlepool on this sunny Sunday morning afforded  panoramic views out to sea; Tees-bound tankers lying offshore, the dark Cleveland Hills against a blue sky backdrop. The Park Inn’s split level layout sees the band set up on the upper tier, the audience seated and standing on the lower level. A choice of three or four real ales, the pick being Doom Bar, for no other reason than if it (the beer) had made the effort all the way from Rock, Cornwall, it should be sampled.
Queen Bee (arr. Sammy Nestico) opened the set with John Hudson (tenor) taking the first solo of the afternoon. MD Mick Donnelly likes to keep things moving with his one-liners buying the band a precious few seconds as they leaf through the pad looking for no. three hundred and something. I’ve Got You Under My Skin sang the fundraising Peter, the first of the day’s fearless vocalists. You know the tune – hear Jill Nelson’s baritone and a Milt Bernhart – sorry, Dave Brock, trombone blast. Excellent stuff all round! Ray Dales (alto) and Bill Watson (trumpet) had a blow on Killer Joe followed by the second of our singers keen to show what they could do. Linda sang Almost Like Being in Love. Linda appeared to believe she didn’t do so well – not a bit of it, Linda did more than alright!

That’s Life! So sang Tommy. What a performer! Singing to the back of the hall, our man projected to the cheap seats in this sold-out Carnegie Hall concert. Tommy! Tommy! It’s the Park Inn, not NYC. Let’s not spoil the illusion/delusion, this was great entertainment! The fundraising Dave, steady as you like, sang Fly Me to the Moon with Sue Ferris’ flute accompaniment as good as we’ve come to expect. Jill Nelson’s spot-on baritone matched Phil’s vocals on Witchcraft. The fabulous fundraising vocalists were troupers all.

Musicians Unlimited’s regular vocalist Mr Bob Caswell – a favourite of BSH’s big band aficionado Tony Eales – sang several numbers including Nice and Easy and I’ve Got the World on a String. Hearing Mr Caswell’s nonchalant, swinging style, it’s easy to see why Eales rates him so highly. The band went out on Sweet Georgia Brown. Next week’s one o’clock start is the last one until September. Musicians Unlimited can be heard a week on Thursday at Jackson’s Landing. This is a major fundraising gig, it’s free admission, but a donation on the night would be appreciated. Things get under way at 6:30pm with several events planned and with Musicians Unlimited on the bill, it’s sure to be a great night out!                    
Russell.           
Mick Donnelly (MD); trumpets: Alan Catherall, Bob Temple, Kevin Eland, Bill Watson; trombones: John Day, Dave Brock, Helen Grainger, Peter Morgan; reeds: John Hudson (tenor), Sue Ferris (tenor & flute), Ray Dales (alto), Danny Allan (alto), Jill Nelson (baritone); Bryn Jones (piano), Mick Shoulder (double bass) & Ernie Jackson (drums) + Bob Caswell (vocals) + the fabulous fundraising vocalists: Linda, Dave, Peter, Phil & Tommy.

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