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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

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: 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’.br/> 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.

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

Tuesday, February 13, 2018

Alan Barnes @ Opus 4 Jazz Club, Darlington - Feb 9

Alan Barnes (alto & baritone saxophones, clarinet); Paul Edis (piano); Andy Champion (double bass) & Russ Morgan (drums)
(Review by Russell).
Usually when Alan Barnes arrives at the Traveller’s Rest to play his now customary annual gig the queue of eager gig-goers goes half way down the stairs. This time, some forty-five minutes before the advertised start, the queue went all the way down the stairs to the entrance on West Auckland Road. A popular draw is Barnesy.


The wisecracks started way before the first number…A Barnes just can’t help himself! The legend that is Dennis – if there’s a jazz gig in County Durham the man is there – engaged Barnesy in witty repartee or should that be Dennis offered a running commentary on anything and everything within earshot?! The room full, the jazz giants looking on (see photo of Barnes playing in front of a ‘who’s who’ of the music looking on from the walls of the upstairs room), Opus 4 Jazz Club’s special guest looked across at friend and fellow musician Paul Edis and said: Paul, what are we playing first? As Edis replied: Jeannine, Barnes’ forgetfulness suggested we were in for a vintage evening full of fun and laughter. Edis, bassist Andy Champion then Barnes soloing on the standard On Green Dolphin Street elicited further laughter as our guest star noted its German title – On Green Dolphin Strasse.
                                                                                                                                                                First call drummer Russ Morgan picked up his brushes on Bluesette and it wasn’t too long before a name check was in order, Barnes highlighting ‘a virtuoso solo’ from Andy Champion. In closing the first set on baritone playing East of the Sun, - Barnes commented it would be ‘the first of seven sets.’              
Jimmy van Heusen’s But Beautiful with Barnes on baritone, solos all round, simply marvellous. The Barnesy-Dennis sideshow didn’t let up all evening and Bebop Spoken Here’s County Durham man Tony Eales thoroughly enjoyed the comic quips. Opus 4’s guest star happily took requests with the Paul Edis Trio eminently capable of playing anything that came their way and we got Scrapple from the Apple and Blue Monk. Alan Barnes in Darlington never fails to draw a full house and he’ll be in town again in May to perform at the Darlington Jazz Festival. A date for your 2019 diary…Barnesy has already confirmed a return engagement at Opus 4 Jazz Club…the date is Friday 8th February.  Start queuing now.       

Russell

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