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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

18037 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 458 of them this year alone and, so far, 36 this month (June 11).

From This Moment On ...

JUNE 2025

Sat 14: Mr Wilson’s Second Liners @ Northumberland Miners’ Picnic, Woodhorn Museum, Ashington. 10:00am-5:00pm. Free. At intervals during the day.
Sat 14: Spanish City Rollers @ The Brae, Cullercoats. 11:00am & 1:00pm. Free. A Cullercoats Festival event.
Sat 14: Front Porch Three + Hoodoo Blues swing dance workshop @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 3:30pm. A Cullercoats Festival event.
Sat 14: Tyne Valley Big Band @ Tynedale Beer & Cider Festival, Tynedale Rugby Club, Corbridge. 4:15-5:30pm.
Sat 14: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 14: Mark Williams Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 14: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Sat 14: Eva Fox & Steve Chambers @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 15: Lewis Watson Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 15: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 15: Pasadena Roof Orchestra @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:00pm.
Sun 15: Under the Wellie @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 15: Hannah Brine Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 16: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club (1:00pm). Free.
Mon 16: Giles Strong Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 17: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 18: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 18: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:30pm. Free. Concert performance (open to the public)..
Wed 18: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

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

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: 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.

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

Thursday, December 28, 2017

Tees Valley Jazzmen @ No.1 Market Place, Bishop Auckland - Dec 28

Gavin Lee (soprano sax), Don Fairley (trombone), Keith Belton (piano & vocals), Gavin Belton (banjo), Tom Derbyshire (double bass) & Mike Humble (drums) + Alf Langthorne (piano), Brian Wilkins (banjo), Kate Bulman (vocals) & Jimmy Robinson (vocals)
(Review by Russell).
Lunchtime, last Thursday of the month, the Tees Valley Jazzmen set up in the window of No.1 Market Place in Bishop Auckland to play some Dixieland tunes. Part coffee shop, part bar, its close proximity to Auckland Castle (presently closed for major redevelopment works), the Town Hall (closed until January!) and the Stanley Jefferson (a Wetherspoon's public house named in honour of Stan Laurel - the great man went to school nearby), attracts plenty of passers-by, a few stop in their tracks...yes, that is a jazz band playing to a full house!
In a couple of years the Tess Valley Jazzmen will clock up their 50th year playing gigs across the northeast, and, indeed, in their time they have performed nationally and internationally. Founding member Keith Belton is still at the helm, brother Gavin is a fixture, and the present front line - Gavin Lee and Don Fairley - is as good as any working the Dixieland circuit. 

Everbody Loves My Baby with Lee on soprano sax, the session was underway. Kate Bulman sang Route 66 and would return periodically during the afternoon. Keith Belton vacated the piano stool in favour of Alf Langthorne, in so doing taking the opportunity to sing Carry Me Back to Old Virginny. 

Raffle tickets were sold during the first set with gig-goers accepting the offer of a complimentary chocolate or toffee from a large tin, the sort piled high in supermarkets in the run-up to Christmas. With pint in hand MC Gavin Lee said the band would take a short break, returning presently.

Nobody's Sweetheart opened the second set followed by a US Civil War tune which heard the band Marching Through Georgia. Vocalist Bulman sang Careless Love, Lee featured on Louis' Hot Five classic Struttin' with some Barbecue, and, said our soprano sax ace, the Tees Valley would play something a bit modern - ie early 30s!. And so they played Darkness on the Delta (a hit for Mildred Bailey). Keith Belton sang Ice Cream (with audience participation) and friend of the TVJ, Mr Jimmy Robinson joined the band to Rock Around the Clock. An enjoyable afternoon drew to a close with Belton singing Goin' Home
Russell.  

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