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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

18043 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 364 of them this year alone and, so far, 42 this month (May 15).

From This Moment On ...

MAY 2025

Sat 17: Teresa Watson Band @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Blues.
Sat 17: The Society Quartet @ Hilton Garden Inn, Sunderland. 6:00pm. Tel: 0191 500 9494. £26.00 (inc. two course meal). Line-up: Jason Holcomb, Hannah Taylor, Alix Shepherd & Abbie Finn.
Sat 17: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 17: Archie Brown & the Young Bucks @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Rhythm & blues, Americana etc.
Sat 17: Bellavana @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30-10:00pm. Free. A Late Shows event.
Sat 17: Rockin’ Turner Brothers @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Rockabilly, Western swing etc.

Sun 18: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 12 noon-2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 18: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 18: Ruth Lambert & Giles Strong @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 18: Steve Summers Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 19: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 19: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 20: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, Bailey Rudd.
Tue 20: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Pleased to Meet You, Bridge St., Morpeth NE61 1ND. 8:00pm.

Wed 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 21: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public). b Wed 21: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 22: Nuevo Castillo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £5.00.
Thu 22: Anna Reay & Deon Krishnan @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:30-9:15pm. Free.
Thu 22: Pedal Point Trio @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 23: Dean Stockdale Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. ‘Celebrating Oscar’.
Fri 23: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 23: Anna Reay & Deon Krishnan @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: Joe Steels Group @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £10.00. + £1.55. bf. A Northumberland Jazz Festival fringe event.
Fri 23: Spilt Milk @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 23: Gaz Hughes Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm.
Fri 23: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 8:00pm. £19.00.; £17.00. ‘Time After Time’.

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

Wednesday, February 15, 2017

Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ McConnell's Gin & Ale House, Jarrow - February 14

Bob Wade (trumpet); Jim McBriarty (clarinet/alto/vocal); Lawrence McBriarty (trombone); Brian Bennett (banjo/leader); Bill Colledge (bass guitar); Fred Thompson (drums/vocal) + Jess McConnell (vocal ).
(Review by Lance).
I'd spent the afternoon on the operating table at South Tyneside General - a funny way to spend Valentine's Day. Normally, I'd have stayed home to recuperate but, having set the wheels in motion for the VCJ to play a gig at McConnell's Gin and Ale House, I wasn't going to let Carpel Tunnel Syndrome keep me away.
I'd also heard good reports about trumpet player Bob Wade, a recent arrival to the area having spent many years living, working and playing in South Africa and I wanted to check him out.
I wasn't disappointed. Nice round tone, lyrical, and, at times, fiery he seemed to give the band a lift.
The brothers McBriarty held their own alongside the newcomer with the rhythm section providing the springboard.
A typical Vieux Carré session - Running Wild; Dinah; Bye Bye Blues; I'm Beginning to See the Light; Hello Dolly; Bourbon St. Parade; Royal Garden Blues; Lazy River; When You're Smiling; Avalon; Doctor Jazz; Exactly Like You; At the Jazz Band Ball; Lady be Good; Darktown Strutters Ball; Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen; Goin' Home and a reprise of Hello Dolly with vocal by Jess McConnell himself!
There were also vocals from Fred Thompson and Jim McBriarty - even ladies dancing and, fortunately, My Funny Valentine wasn't played on the banjo.
Lance.

2 comments :

Bill Harper said...

nice to see the old band back in full swing after all these years ---- your mention My Funny Valentine reminds me of a sunday morning session at the Brahms & Liszt in the Bigg Market with the RED CARR ALL STARS (Ronnie Young). During the interval a group of us were discussing the use of banjos in jazz.As a pianist I found them an absolute nightmare but Clem Avery who was in the audience, was defending them vigourously.The discussion fell apart in gales of laughter when Ronnie McLean (also in the audience)quietly interjected that he found it hard to imagine a beautiful ballad like LAURA being performed on the banjo.Clem conceded defeat !!!!!

Lance said...

I will remember the story. I don't know if if I was actually there or if I heard it from Ronnie McLean himself during those years I worked with him in Windows. Ronnie, God rest his soul, had a habit of recounting his favourite stories to all in sundry. He played in Dusseldorf with Lennie Hastings band and, during the time we worked together, I think I learned more about Dusseldorf than Adolph Hitler did.

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