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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

17985(and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 306 of them this year alone and, so far, 62 this month (April 26).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Mon 28: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 29: ???

Wed 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 30: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 30: International Jazz Day @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £16.00.; £14.00. adv.. Feat. Guido Spannocchi, John Pope & Steve Hanley + Take it to the Bridge participants + Open Mic Night participants.

MAY 2025

Thu 01: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Member’s Contribution.
Thu 01: Alabaster de Plume @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Thu 01: Living in Shadows + OUTRI @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Thu 01: The Shayo Experiment @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Shayo Oshodi & Liam Oliver.
Thu 01: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free.

Fri 02: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 02: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 02: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 02: Anna Reay & Deon Krishnan @ STACK, Seaburn. 4:30-6:15pm. Free.
Fri 02: Nauta @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 7:00pm. £7.50. A ‘Nauta’s House’ gig featuring Nauta & guests Shayo Oshodi & David Gray.
Fri 02: Spilt Milk @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 02: Dom Pipkin @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Solo piano.
Fri 02: Abbie Finn Trio @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00. + bf.

Sat 03: Hot Fingers @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 03: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £25.00. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Summer Samba Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 03: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 03: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 03: Postmodern Jukebox @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm.
Sat 03: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £3.00. + bf.
Sat 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 03: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:30pm. Free.

Sun 04: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 04: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 04: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 04: Spilt Milk @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:00-5:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 04: Rivkala @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 04: Ben Crosland Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

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

Thursday, September 08, 2016

Goodbye Dear Friend...

I have a novel, on the back-burner which will probably never be written, Entitled "It Always Rains at Funerals", it seemed as though that might be the case today. The heavens opened and the traffic at the Lindisfarne Roundabout was moving so slowly I wondered if I would get there in time for my funeral let alone Bill's! However, having set out early and having made a few trial runs we got there in time and the cortege, no doubt having similar problems, eventually arrived. By this time the rain had stopped and the sun shone, if not on the righteous, on those privileged to regard themselves as friends of Bill Shaw.
Apart from Mary and family, Newcastle Big Band associates, Andy Hudson and Germaine Stanger, as well as myself provided a link to Bill's musical past. George Watt, and, again, myself linked us to Jarrow Central School and pianist Neil Gutteridge, a longtime friend of us both, shared memories later at the wake.
I was last to enter so I'm not sure what the music was - it may have been Joe Morello working out on Take Five.
The Humanist guy did his piece and then Ella sang I'll See You in my Dreams with Charlie Shavers on trumpet, Peanuts Hucko on clarinet, Lou McGarity on trombone, Al Sears on tenor, Trigger Alpert on bass, Remo Palmieri on guitar, Buddy Weed piano and, natch, Buddy Rich on drums! 
If they'd chosen My Way I'd have never spoken to Mary again! Although, in retrospect, My Way would have been very appropriate if played by the Jazz Messengers or sung by, say, Tom Waits!
We left The Crem to one of those bop riffs that everyone knows but can never remember the title of!
Later, we reconvened at the Wardley Hotel in Bill Quay and the memories flowed. I recalled a dance band gig in a community centre in Washington. This was back in the days when dance bands wore dinner suits and bow ties. As there was no beer at the gig, come interval time we dashed down to the nearest pub. It looked to be a rough sort of place so we discarded our bow ties, rumpled our shirts and maybe even added a bit dirt to our faces. Imagine our surprise when we opened the door and everyone was dressed up to the nines!
Another time, after a gig in South Shields we went to catch a late drink at the Kismet Club. Not being members, we expected to have to do some fast talking but, the doorman took in our tuxedo (ish) outfits and said, 'You're late, due on in 5 minutes!' he thought we were the cabaret! Once again the bow ties were discarded and we blended into the crowd whilst the compere was saying,'They're here, the doorman told me they'd arrived'!
The duo eventually did turn up and we breathed a sigh of relief. If we'd had to go on stage they'd have realised we weren't a comedy duo but, then again...
So many memories of a dear friend. Rest In Peace and don't go telling Gabriel he ain't a patch on Dizzy Gillespie. Or, then again, Bill may be asking Gabe's opposite number to turn the heating up or down.
Lance.
In the photos - taken circa 40 years apart - Tom Smith is the pianist. 

4 comments :

Andrea Picton (on F/b) said...

Sorry about the loss of your friend Lance. What a lovely tribute and beautiful writing. Go for the novel! x

Liz said...

I thought of you today, God Rest Bill. LL

Steve Hanford said...

Hello Lance, I am Steve Hanford, Bill's ex son-in law and attended the ceremony on the 8th. With Mary's blessing I am embarking on a mission to collate as many of Bill's cartoons that I can find into a booklet for us all to share and enjoy. I have already contacted the Mirror/Chronicle/Gazette but perhaps through yourself and your many contacts there might be cartoons out there which I would dearly welcome a copy of. Would you be kind enough to perhaps contact me to discuss matters further via email

Lance said...

Can anyone help Steve to locate any more of Bill Shaw's cartoons?

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