Bebop Spoken There

David Bailey (photographer): ''When I was 16 I wanted to look like Chet Baker. He was my idol - him and James Dean.'' (Talking Pictures documentary : Four beats to the bar and no cheating April, 2026)

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

18504 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 368 of them this year alone and, so far this month (May 7 ) 22

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

From This Moment On

May

Fri 08: Alan Law Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. Law, Mick Shoulder, John Bradford.
Fri 08: Giles Strong & Richard Herdman @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Guitar duo.
Fri 08: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 08: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 08: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 08: Milne Glendinning Band @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 6:00pm . Free. A Late Shows event.
Fri 08: Nigel Kennedy @ The Hippodrome, Darlington. 7:30pm. Line-up inc. Alec Dankworth.
Fri 08: Salty Dog @ Station East, Hills Street, Gateshead. 8:00pm. Free.

Sat 09: The Vieux Carré Hot 4 'Festival of Blossom' @ Seaton Delaval Hall National Trust. 12:30 - 3.00pm. Free event (admission applies).
Sat 09: SH#RP Collective w. Lindsay Hannon @ Church of Holy Name, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £15.00 (inc. a welcome drink). Advance booking essential. Bring own snacks, drinks to be purchased at ‘donations’ bar. All proceeds to charity. A Jesmond Community Festival event.
Sat 09: East Coast Swing Band @ Jubilee Hall, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £10.00.

Sun 10: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 12 noon. Free. Note earlier start.
Sun 10: 58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00-3:00pm. Free.
Sun 10: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 10: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 10: The Chet Set @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £7.00.
Sun 10: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.

Mon 11: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 12: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 13: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 13: Jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 13: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 13: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 13: Hey Remember This @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.

Thu 14: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: Philip Larkin’s Jazz Experiment.
Thu 14: Jerron Paxton @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Superb country blues.
Thu 14: Jacob Egglestone @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Egglestone (guitar); Jamie Watkins (bass); Jack Littlewood (drums) & guests.

Friday, February 03, 2017

Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Jazz Café. Feb 2

(Review by Russell/photo courtesy of Mike Tilley)
Stone Church. The Big Idea’s set list opener, Gerry Richardson’s brooding Hammond, then the explosive, dissipating horns. First thoughts? Gig of the year! The Big Idea is, without question, one of the cast iron, nailed-on bands. Blues for Big Red, then African Sunset (Richardson’s self-deprecating observation: Our big hit). The nine-piece hit the ground running, all the horns killing.
Big Jazz Club in the Sky – when you’ve heard it once you can join in with the lyrics – a list of the jazz greats, a winning tune. The Turnaround Shuffle (recent recruit to the drum chair Adam Sinclair on the money), Lady Day and John Coltrane (one of Richardson’s best vocals), the skanking Ska Odyssey (Big Red himself, Rod Sinclair on top form, as he was all night), and a new one in the pad, a Clarence Wheeler number, blistering it was. It will be in the set list next time – be there to hear it.
Several audience members were hearing the band for the first time. At the interval, all said they were mucho impressed…they’ve got ears!

Cannonball Adderley opened the second set, Song of the Ferris, a solo flute feature for a certain Sue Ferris took it down a notch, but not for long. Drummer Adam Sinclair (living proof that the drum machine should be rendered obsolete) gave what amounted to a drum ‘n’ bass masterclass on Another Dark One, then, the Big Idea’s party piece – All About McGriff. Richardson suggested this was the ‘jazz’ number of the evening. Rip-roaring, a Hammond jazz tear-up. Gig of the year?

All aboard for the finale. A nod to Richard Tee, Richardson invited all present to Take the Tee Train. One helluva exhilarating ride. Cue applause, encore won, let’s go out on Night                               
Train. On leaving the Jazz Café one punter, effusive in praise said: That was expletive deleted ridiculous!
Russell.
Gerry Richardson (Hammond B3 & vocals), Garry Linsley (alto saxophone), Stuart Johnson (tenor & soprano saxophones), Sue Ferris (tenor & baritone saxophones, flute), Dave Hignett (trumpet & flugelhorn), Mark Webb (trumpet), David Gray (trombone), Rod Sinclair (guitar) & Adam Sinclair (drums) 

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