Bebop Spoken There

Christian McBride: ''I believe we are living in a historically embarrassing moment in American history.'' - Downbeat December 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

18061 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 1025 of them this year alone and, so far, 39 this month (Dec. 14).

From This Moment On ...

DECEMBER 2025

Thu 18: Paul Skerritt @ YOLO, Ponteland. 7:00pm. ‘Swing & Jazz Night’. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Thu 18: Joe Steels & Friends @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:30pm. Free (donations).

Fri 19: Fraser Urquhart @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT! .
Fri 19: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free..
Fri 19: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free..
Fri 19: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00..
Fri 19: Castillo Nuevo @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:00pm. Free. .
Fri 19: Alexia Gardner @ FIKA Art Gallery, Morpeth. 6:30pm. Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy..
Fri 19: Paul Skerritt @ Middlesbrough Town Hall. 7:00pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes. .
Fri 19: Giles Strong Quartet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club..
Fri 19: Creakin’ Bones & the Xmas Dinners @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £13.01 (inc. bf)..
Fri 19: Mark Toomey Quintet @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.

Sat 20: Jazz Attack @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 11:00am. Free.
Sat 20: Alexia Gardner @ FIKA Art Gallery, Morpeth. 6:30pm. Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy. SOLD OUT!
Sat 20: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. CANCELLED!
Sat 20: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 20: Hoodoo Blues @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:15pm (doors). £14.25, £11.55. Dance class, social dancing, live music & Xmas Party. Live music from 9:00pm - Ruth Lambert, Giles Strong, Ian Paterson & John Bradford (jazz and blues).
Sat 20: John Pope Quintet @ Blank Studios, Newcastle. 7:30-8:30pm. £7.70 (inc. bf). Album recording session.

Sun 21: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. ‘Xmas Swingalong’. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 21: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00-5:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ o2 City Hall, Newcastle. 6:00pm. £35.80., £33.25., £31.00.
Sun 21: The Globe Xmas Party @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Live music.
Sun 21: Tweed River Jazz Band @ The Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:30pm. Free.

Mon 22: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 23: Paul Skerritt @ Chakh Dhoom, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Indian restaurant. Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Wed 24: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 24: Alexia Gardner @ The Townhouse, Bridge St., Morpeth. 1:30-4:30pm. ‘The A Capella Sessions’. Gardner, Paula Gardner, Alexia Hope Gardner Diamany.
Wed 24: Paul Skerritt @ Mambo Wine & Dine, South Shields. 1:30pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.

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, July 05, 2017

Kaz Hawkins @ Burton Agnes Jazz & Blues Festival - July 1

How do you follow St Lucian Energy, and old style Swing? 
Allow me to introduce you to
ORIGINAL HIGH CELTIC ENERGY
UNDILUTED, RAW, POWERFUL, 
SO REAL & FOLLOWS NO BEAT
OTHER THAN HER OWN 
Miss KAZ HAWKINS
who grabs you into her heart
enveloping you with life songs
her saviour into which she pours
her life’s highs and lows
we all know these points
but it takes a brave soul
to tell them in song
and she does it 
no less than the great
writers Spirits in this world
A survivor who sings out her Praise
and Glory and Love for Her Family .

 I am a poet/lyricist myself and I recognise
in this lady a fine poet/lyricist
and singer, well her voice
reminds me of a reflection
of God...it is from this point,
this chord where her voice evolves.

Her Bigness in Body, Soul, Spirit & Voice
Fills this Field of Dreams
Campers Catching her Essence
and holding her words to their Hearts

BABY I'M BAD, BUT BABY I LOVE YOU
DRINK WITH THE DEVIL
IS ABOUT BOYFRIEND NO 45
“I used to get around” she laughs
and the audience laughs with her.

She's Pure Rock & Roll .
I ****....ing Love Her..
I am sat on the grass 
right in front of her
absorbing her undiluted Presence
& Louis Armstrong 
is like here singing
the blues through her.
The Real Deal
is what I feel
100% Proof
fills all the dots and T's
brill off and on stage
big hugs I had from her
before she went on
I did my homework 
the day before
as I was cleaning
in kitchen & utility
knew here was a soul sister
I called her by name
early Saturday in the field
she turned smiled and held out
her arms and mine joined hers
two Celtic Girls Hugging.
The Energy I felt
is what she is on stage
as Big as Niagara Falls.

I am introduced to Yanny her great bass player
who emits the same full of life spirit on stage 
Dr Nick lead guitar, who has charm, wit
and plays round and round the helter skelter
of tight circles of music..wheee wheee

“ SENSATIONAL  COMPLETE GUITARIST”
Adds MR TOFFEE JOSEPH.... from St Lucia Brilliant Guitarist 

“What else can I do except agree.. when one master is appraising another,
you agree, especially when you know it to be true....he reminds us both of
a legend...and Toffee reminds me of a legend also...you couldn't make
this review up..'
Etta James is her idol...as a little girl a pianist told her to listen to her
and in Etta she found a sister who sang..
In Her Rendition of I Just Wanna Make Love To You.
Bass is pure gets you in the core.
Peto on drums gets hotter and hotter like a sports car revving
and firing on all cylinders on Brands Hatch swinging his arms
like leaves blowing hard in the wind..he is a Ferrari
Yanny is a Count Basie on Bass.

The ending of this song is Spectacular ..
pause..guitar chord...then
Nick does a solo...then
Orgasmic Atmosphere....
Wow!!! 

I AM IS HERE
IN THIS PRESENCE
OF HEART & LIFE SONG

Peto, Jan & Nick are Warriors of Music
who stand guard in every way to 
support this Lady Kaz.
I am crying now writing this,
after confirming to myself what my spirit knew
as I relate to her background
but I didn't know this until I read her
back story in last five minutes with her
FANTASTIC ALBUM 
DON'T YOU KNOW  playing.

I am so honoured to have 
met, held, encouraged her
in our kindred spirit chat
even tho we never mentioned a word.
GOD BLESS YOU KAZ 

DON'T YOU GIVE UP GIRL...


Annie O' Donnell    4th July 2017

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