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Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: '' A Love Supreme coincided with my search for meaning in life". (DownBeat, March 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

17873 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 194 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (March 14).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free. CANCELLED PERMANENTLY!
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Nicknames.
Thu 20: Terri Green Experience @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £15.90.
Thu 20: King Bees @ The Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Superb blues band.
Thu 20: Lindsay Hannon Trio @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Hannon’s ‘Tom Waits for No Man’ set.
Thu 20: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:30pm. Free.

Fri 21: Paul Skerritt @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 21: Giles Strong Quartet @ 1719, Hendon, Sunderland. 7:30pm. CANCELLED!
Fri 21: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Featuring special guest Martin Litton (piano).

Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30pm-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 22: Swamp Stomp String Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Sat 22: Rivkala @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sun 23: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 23: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Mississippi MacDonald @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. Blues.
Sun 23: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: The Great Deceivers @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Tom Atkinson & co play King Crimson (1969-1974). Atkinson (guitar); Josh Bentham (alto sax); Stu Dawson (bass); Jeff Armstrong (drums).

Mon 24: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 24: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 25: Fred Wesley & the New JB’s @ The Cluny. 7:30pm (doors). £27.50. POSTPONED! New date Wednesday 26 November.

Thu 27: Hannabiell & Midnight Blue @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 27: Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Superb blues duo.

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, October 13, 2016

New book out soon - Forty-five years of jazz images come together – from Abercrombie to Zirilli

(Press Release).
A stunning new book – ‘Brian O’Connor’s Images of Jazz’ – of more than 400 photographs of jazz musicians taken over 45 years has been published by Riverside Publishing Solutions.
The book captures striking and atmospheric black and white and colour photos of musicians taken at more than 60 venues in London and across the UK between 1971 and 2016. It includes photos of UK and visiting American and European musicians both onstage and informally. Several musicians are featured at different stages of their careers, from exuberant youth to successful maturity.
Brian introduces the photos with affectionate notes about his regular visits to Ronnie Scott’s club and other venues, and shares insights into the life of the jazz photographer, capturing the moment. In addition, there are notes on photographic technique and equipment for the camera enthusiast, and a detailed index of musicians.

Bass player Peter Ind writes in the Foreword:
“The art of conveying life, dynamism and movement is hardly ever better expressed than it is in still photography of jazz musicians playing. This new book of jazz photography fully illustrates this and it is the work of an unassuming man who has a great eye – Brian O Connor.  We should all thank him for his dedicated work ensuring that there is a record forever of some fabulous jazz moments.”
Pianist and singer Liane Carroll writes in the book on behalf of the National Jazz Archive, which helped with its publication:
“The astounding photographs bring to life the musicians who contributed so much to the wonderful art form we know as jazz. The remarkable images that appear in Brian O’Connor’s new collection add to that rich heritage and tradition.”
Brian O’Connor’s Images of Jazz’ is due to be published in the middle of October, by Riverside Publishing Solutions, in association with the National Jazz Archive. The book is A4 hardback, 132 pages printed in colour throughout, ISBN 978-1-5272-0057-9. The book is priced at £25 plus £4.95 post and packing (UK), but the price for orders placed before 24th December 2016 is £20 plus p&p.
For more information and to order the book, contact Brian O’Connor, 48 Sarel Way, Horley, Surrey RH6 8EW. Tel: 01293 774171. Email: info@imagesofjazz.com. www.imagesofjazz.com

The author/photographer:
Brian O’Connor’s working life mainly consisted of working in and sometimes running a series of camera shops in and around London. His interest in photography began at an early age, and his first ‘upmarket’ camera was a used Ilford Sportsman costing £6.
His musical interests began with Frank Sinatra and ‘That Old Black Magic’ in the early fifties, and progressed with the rhythms and tunes of Latin American music, in particular Stan Getz and Charlie Byrd’s LP, Jazz Samba. He joined the Sinatra Music Society and met Stan Britt, a founder member of the Society. This led on to the Great American Songbook.
His two hobbies blended at the beginning of the seventies. Stan Britt had become a freelance journalist and began interviewing many of the jazz greats, and Brian joined him with his camera. Through Stan he also became a regular at Ronnie Scott’s. For about 30 years he was there nearly every week, listening and photographing.

The first gig he photographed was Blood, Sweat and Tears at the Hammersmith Odeon in 1971, and he continues to visit pubs, clubs and festivals, adding to his collection of photos of more than 2000 musicians.

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