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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, April 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

17923 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 244 of them this year alone and, so far, 91 this month (March 31).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Tue 08: ???

Wed 09: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 09: Tannery jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm.
Wed 09: Anatole Muster Trio @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £17.50., £12.50. concs.
Wed 09: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED?

Thu 10: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.CANCELLED!
Thu 10: Magpies of Swing @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £7.00. A Globe fundraiser (all proceeds to the venue).
Thu 10: Exhaust: Camila Nebbia/Kit Downes/Andrew Lisle @ Jesmond URC, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:30pm doors). £13.20., £11.00. JNE.
Thu 10: Jeremy McMurray & the Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Feat. guests Ray Dales & Jackie Summers.

Fri 11: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 11: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 11: John Rowland Trio: The Music of Ben Webster @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Rowland (tenor sax); Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass).
Fri 11: Imelda May @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 11: Shunyata Improvisation Group @ Cullercoats Watch House. 7:30-9:00pm. Free (donations).

Sat 12: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 12: Rob Heron & the Tea Pad Orchestra + House of the Black Gardenia + King Bees @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 6:30pm (doors). £18.00.
Sat 12: Bright Street Big Band @ Washington Arts Centre. 6:30pm. £12.00. Event includes swing dance taster session, DJ dance session. Bright Street Big Band on stage 7:30-8:15pm & 8:45-9:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Sat 12: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 12: Imelda May @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £42.20. SOLD OUT!
Sat 12: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 13: Daniel John Martin with Swing Manouche @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 13: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 13: Hejira: A Celebration of Joni Mitchell @ Wylam Brewery, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £22.50.
Sun 13: Wilkinson/Edwards/Noble + Chojnacki @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £13.20., £11.00. JNE.

Mon 14: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 14: Zoë Gilby Quintet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

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

Saturday, October 15, 2016

Basin Street Brawlers @ Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.

Pete Horsfall (tpt/vcl); Malcolm Earle-Smith (tmb/vcl); Ewan Bleach (alt/clt); Martin Wheatley (gtr); Colin Good (pno).
(Review/ Photos by Lance).
The Trans-Pennine train took 29 minutes to reach Darlington. In the carriage, which resembled a sardine tin, 40 or so revelers intent on laying siege to York were already on their third lager as us sober ones alighted - York, you have been warned!
Inside the St. Augustine's Centre, home of Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club, sanity prevailed as the Basin Street Brawlers took to the stage.
No doubt in deference to their hosts, the Brawlers stomped off with High Society complete with the obligatory Picou clarinet solo. However, this is more than a New Orleans style trad band even though some of the numbers did relate to the turn of the century Crescent City - Winin' Boy Blues and Milenburg Joys being prime examples.
Methinks, though, their true forte is the 1930's Harlem jump bands typified by those led by Henry 'Red' Allen. Indeed, at times, Horsfall's trumpet solos could have been by the great man. Bleach blew period alto in the manner of Pete Brown or Charlie Holmes and brought Albert Nicholas to mind on clarinet whilst Earle-Smith was Jack to a T(eagarden)  and Martin Wheatley? Well, Eddie Lang, Carl Kress, George Barnes? you name it!
Colin Good did the business on keys and, with Wheatley aiding and abetting, it was three numbers in before I realised there wasn't a drummer or a bass player - that's how solid they were!
High Society; Cocktails For Two; Crazy Rhythm; Tight Like That (vocal by Horsfall and the title track of their last CD); If Dreams Come True (Horsfall , vocal); Petite Fleur (Bleach featured); Truckin' (my first set fave); Winin' Boy Blues (vocal PH); Milenburg Joys; Fidgety Feet.
Wow! A good set and worth taking the D Train.
Nice to meet the club organisers, whom I knew from email, to renew acquaintance with Diane Young, chat with Pete Horsfall and, as the fates decreed, to win a bottle of Cotes du Rhône in the raffle so, if the typos start appearing, blame it on Les French. The bottle label suggested that I "Drink on release or allow to mature for a year or two". I opted for the former... 
Back on stage the Brawlers gave us: When I Grow Too Old to Dream; That's a Plenty; a couple of vocals from Earle-Smith - If I Could be With You One Hour Tonight and Fats Waller's Ain'tcha Glad. Jazz me Blues and The Lamp is Low were next. Most knew The Lamp is Low was based on a composition by Ravel, some recalled the Chet Baker version but, the burning question was, who stole it from Maurice (Ravel)?
Peter de Rose.
Rose had form in the songwriting stakes (Somebody Loves me; Deep Purple; On a Little Street in Singapore and Bueno Sera among others) so it's not surprising he did a job on The Lamp is Low - as did Horsfall.
China Boy; If We Never Meet Again and Swing that Music brought a memorable session to a close.
They're on at Boston Spa tonight so, if you hurry, you might catch a couple of numbers.
Great band and, St. Augustine's is a great venue - now where did I put that corkscrew?
Lance.

3 comments :

Anonymous said...

Thanks Lance, great to meet you at last and an accurate review of a fantastic day with these quality musicians.
Hope to see you again and who knows you may win the white next time
Best regards
Ray Sams
Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club
www.darlingtonjazz.co.uk

Liz said...

yes, they all arrived in York as you predicted,or so it seemed !!

Anonymous said...

Oh yes - a fantastic band indeed - and what a great repertoire! Every player the tops too ..... and how cool they looked in their suits. Not quite Reservoir Dogs, but very stylish! Classy jazz - hot and tight, just the way I like it! The Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club certainly books a great variety of bands - and is certainly bold enough to make eclectic choices.

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