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Bebop Spoken There

Van Morrison: ''Basically, I'm coming from jazz. Not pop, not rock, not what's commercial. That's where I started, and that's still where I am. I feel the same as I did when I was listening to Louis Armstrong, Lead Belly, Jelly Roll Morton''. (The Northern Echo, 12 June 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

18037 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 458 of them this year alone and, so far, 36 this month (June 11).

From This Moment On ...

JUNE 2025

Sat 14: Mr Wilson’s Second Liners @ Northumberland Miners’ Picnic, Woodhorn Museum, Ashington. 10:00am-5:00pm. Free. At intervals during the day.
Sat 14: Spanish City Rollers @ The Brae, Cullercoats. 11:00am & 1:00pm. Free. A Cullercoats Festival event.
Sat 14: Front Porch Three + Hoodoo Blues swing dance workshop @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 3:30pm. A Cullercoats Festival event.
Sat 14: Tyne Valley Big Band @ Tynedale Beer & Cider Festival, Tynedale Rugby Club, Corbridge. 4:15-5:30pm.
Sat 14: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 14: Mark Williams Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 14: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Sat 14: Eva Fox & Steve Chambers @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 15: Lewis Watson Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 15: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 15: Pasadena Roof Orchestra @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:00pm.
Sun 15: Under the Wellie @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 15: Hannah Brine Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 16: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club (1:00pm). Free.
Mon 16: Giles Strong Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 17: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 18: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 18: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:30pm. Free. Concert performance (open to the public)..
Wed 18: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 19: Gareth John & the SOS Big Band @ The Forum Music Centre, Darlington. 7:00pm. £25.00.

Fri 20: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free..
Fri 20: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free..
Fri 20: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00..
Fri 20: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. £21.50. ‘Time After Time’..
Fri 20: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. .
Fri 20: King Bees @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. Superb Chicago blues band.

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

Friday, October 07, 2016

Riviera Quartet @ The Empty Shop, Durham - October 6.

Pete Tanton (trumpet/flugel). Mark Williams (guitar), John Pope (bass), Russ Morgan (drums).
(Review by Steve T).
We've all been there, do you go for the full set and risk a small bottle of the weakest stuff they've got, or do you put all your eggs in one set and try to lash as much ale down as you can in the allotted time before Mrs T. gets you and number two son home safely?
This was the first Jazz session at ES after a protracted summer recess - Durham students are the last back nationally - and, besides half a dozen oldies including Tony Eales, Mrs T and me, it was hanging from the rafters chocker, holding people in the bar just in case a space became available - not bloody likely!
Actually, I picked the latter option so facilitated the place for some lucky couple, no doubt grateful for my altruism.
Missed the very start as I was stuck behind MW at the bar so didn't catch the title but the second piece was You Don't Smile Anymorededicated to the returning students but there were plenty of smiles on the night from gloriously multi-cultural Durham.
If Ushaw Jazz Festival is now Durham's best-kept secret, ES still has the 'coolest' regular Jazz night in the region, and this must be one of the 'coolest' Jazz bands, leaving me wondering why we hear so little from them, or at least from their trumpet player. Maybe, like Led Zeppelin, it's all part of the plan. If so, as with Led Zeppelin, it's working.
The Cat’s Replyfollowed by Turf War which found bits of chatting amongst some newbies but, no worry, Messr Eales will no doubt get to them. The band were on form with, good natured banter between band members and the audience, Mark asking Peter if a ringtone that went off was his trumpet, but he claimed it's all the internet; isn't everything. 
A Mark Williams original to end the set - Booze Blues, appropriately enough as my lift home became imminent - found them almost in bebop territory, guitar and muted trumpet in sync before Marks best solo of the set, getting pretty rocky for him and seeming to trace black music’s transition from Jazz to a rock and roll sound which could have almost been Chuck Berry or Bo Diddley.
The rhythm section took it down for the trumpet solo followed by bass, Russ joining in for some fun and frolics between bass and drums, Pope slapping the wood on his bass inviting Russ to slip to toms – ‘nuff said - before Mark came back in, trumpet following him, un-muted for the first time.
I'd have loved to stay but had made my choice for the greater good. However, the most important lesson of the evening was, get their early.
Steve T.

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