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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.

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.

Mon 05: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 05: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. 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, November 28, 2016

The House of the Black Gardenia @ The Globe Jazz Bar - November 27.

(Review by Lance).
Upstairs, they were tangoing, downstairs, they were lindy hopping. Upstairs and downstairs they were having fun.
Which is what it's all about.
The inhabitants of the Black Gardenia House provided a raucous, raunchy, revival of good old-fashioned entertainment. The audience loved it as they danced away their shoes.
These guys (and gal) draw their repertoire from the early, exciting days of jazz and blues and dance music. The music that provided the bedrock for the music of today and it's to their credit that young musicians such as these are prepared to embrace the past as well as looking to the future. It augers well for the music we love.

Bobbi Charleston sang the blues, risque vaudeville numbers such as If You Don't Give me What I Want; I Ain't Gonna Give Nobody None of my Jelly Roll and Baby Don't Tear my Clothes as well as a few reefer songs such as Viper Man and Weed Smoker's Dream a.k.a. Why Don't You do Right? A singer, well-versed in the idiom, and a washboardist too - no scrubber she!
Ben Imrye, a young man who plays mighty fine piano, also sang. He told us, I'm Satisfied With my Girl. A vocal call and response number with the band repudiating his claims in unison. His great version of the old Johnny Long hit Skirts brought the show to a close.
Where has this guy been hiding?
It was a night of discovery. Effective chording from Littlefield on acoustic - with the occasional solo slotted in. Solid sousaphone and double bass from Hopper and atmospheric drumnastics from, wait for it, Kit Haigh.
There was blistering trombone from Gray. David took his chances by the scruff of the neck and justified his nom-de-plume of 'Showtime'. We're accustomed to hearing Lamb blowing hard bop trumpet lines but tonight he was in swing era groove - move over Bunny Berigan.
Robinson on clarinet was another surprise. Normally he only dusts it off for section passages with Strictly Smokin' but tonight it was his main instrument and Artie Shaw didn't turn in his grave.
A most enjoyable evening and a good weekend for the Jazz Coop.
Remember the name - The House of the Black Gardenia.
Lance.
Prior to the gig, I was reading local author, Fiona Veitch Smith's mystery novel, The Jazz Files. Fiona should have been here, the music and her story - set as it was in the 1920's - totally complemented each other. 
Bobbi Charleston (vocal/washboard); David Gray (trombone); Michael Lamb (trumpet); Keith Robinson (tenor/clarinet/flute); Ben Imrye (piano/vocal); Michael Littlefield (guitar); Neil Hopper (bass/sousaphone); Kit Haigh (drums).

1 comment :

Dave Rae said...

It was great to see and hear those wonderful young musicians!
We had a lovely night.

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