Bebop Spoken There

Ron Carter quoting Sonny Rollins: ''What we call jazz - that's keeping the world in equilibrium. I don't care what kind of music you like out here today. It all comes from jazz.'' (DownBeat August, 2026)

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

18799 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 663 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 12) 32.

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

From This Moment On

August

Fri 14: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 14: John Settle Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. John Settle (vibes); Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 14: Bold Big Band @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £8.00 + bf.

Sat 15: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 15: Jake Leg Jug Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £16.26.

Sun 16: Vintage Explosion @ Cliffe Park, Roker, Sunderland SR6 8DB. 5:00-10:30pm. £44.00 (inc. bf).

Mon 17: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 20: Edson Angus Quartet @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 20: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Sunday, April 08, 2018

GIJF Day 2: Ruby Turner - Sage Gateshead, April 7

Ruby Turner (vocal); Jason Thompson (keys); Nick Marland (guitar); Paul Pryor (bass guitar); Simon Moore (drums).
(Review by Lance/Photo courtesy of Ken Drew).
With or without Jools Holland, Ruby Turner is a ball of fire just waiting to be ignited. Although tonight was without Jools, his presence wasn't missed and the blue touchpaper was lit from bar one of I'm Not the One. This lady hoots and hollers, shouts and sings, like few soul sisters (or brothers) either side of the Atlantic.
I didn't get the names of all the songs and many of the titles I did get were, in the cold light of morning, meaningless (try writing in the dark and you'll know what I mean).
Songs I did decipher/recognise were: Master Plan; Still on my Mind; There is Something on Your Mind and of course, the showstopping Etta James classic I'd Rather Go Blind. This brought the audience to their feet for the inevitable standing ovation she deserved and the raunchy encore the audience demanded.
Throughout, guitarist Marland took a host of solos that kept the flame burning, a flame that never flickered when keyboard ace Thompson took it up nor when bassman Pryor who also seemed to be controlling things had his place in the sun (the lighting, incidentally, wasn't always perfect and Ruby had to request adjustments as the night unfolded) whilst Simon Moore on kit excelled. At a jazz festival, top-notch drum solos are the norm and this was the norm plus!
A session full of soul and an indication of how blurred the lines have become 'twixt music's many genres.

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