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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

1803759 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 480 of them this year alone and, so far, 58 this month (June 18).

From This Moment On ...

JUNE 2025

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

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: David Gray's Flextet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
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.

Sat 21: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 21: Red Kites Jazz @ Staithes Café, Dunston. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Sat 21: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 22: Phoenix 4 @ Wallington, Northumberland. 12 noon-1:00pm & 2:00-3:00pm. Tel: 01670 773606. National Trust admission prices apply. ‘Tunes in the Blooms’.
Sun 22: Lapwing Trio @ Wallington, Northumberland. 1:00-2:00pm. Tel: 01670 773606. National Trust admission prices apply. ‘Tunes in the Blooms’.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Jason Isaacs Trio @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 4:00pm. £18.00. + £1.08 bf.
Sun 22: JazzMain @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 23: MSK Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance.
Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club (1:00pm). Free.

Tues 24: ???

Wed 25: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 25: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 25: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 25: The Magpies of Swing @ The Roxy, Leadgate, Co. Durham. 7:30pm. A Ginger Jitterbugs swing dance event, all welcome.

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

Sunday, December 03, 2017

Jambone @ Ushaw College - Dec 1

Paul Edis (MD); Emily McDermott (vocal); Alex Thompson (clarinet); James Metcalf, Lucien Guest (trumpet); Ben Lawrence (piano); Ryan Da Silva (baritone); Matthew Downey (guitar); Alex Shipsey (bass); Dylan Thompson (drums); ? (trombone); ??? (saxes)
(Review by Jerry)
Kicking off a great evening of jazz at Ushaw we had a “mini-set” from tomorrow’s stars, Jambone, featuring three originals from MD, Paul Edis, plus a new arrangement of a favourite standard – My Funny Valentine.
It Ain’t Broke (Don’t Fix It) was the philosophical opener and featured solos from clarinet, trumpet and piano (Alex Thompson, James Metcalf and Ben Lawrence – all known to me from Early Bird gigs) plus vocals from Emily McDermott (whom I had not seen before).
Next up was the Newcastle Metro inspired The Wrong Way Round, never before heard with lyrics, apparently! Emily Mc Dermott held her nerve commendably through two full verses before the main band came in. The rhythm section laid a good foundation throughout and came into prominence in what seemed like a “rock” middle section to the piece. There were more solos too, including flute.
My Funny Valentine was by way of a request – a favourite of the vocalist who needed all her lung-power here to hold her own against a very brassy arrangement. She did, and, along with more solos (sax and trombone) earned enthusiastic applause from a good-sized audience.
The final Edis’ original whose title refers to something musical (therefore beyond me!) was Bite – a lively piece with much variation which provided a vehicle to showcase more of the band members. A series, not so much of solos as of “conversations”, featured trumpet and sax, trombone and baritone sax, flute and percussion, bass and drums. Great stuff!
Apologies to all those band members whose names I did not catch: reflecting my age and theirs (band members won’t remember Young Mr. Grace) I can only say, “You’ve all done very well!”
Jerry

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