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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, April 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

17923 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 244 of them this year alone and, so far, 91 this month (March 31).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Wed 02: Lauren Bush: The Jazz Singer’s Toolkit @ The Pele, Corbridge. 1:00-4:00pm. Vocalist Lauren Bush with pianist Jamil Sheriff presents a jazz singing workshop. £40.00. (inc. evening concert, see below). Registration required for workshop: www.laurenbushjazz.com. All ability levels welcome.
Wed 02: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 02: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 2:30-4:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Wed 02: Lauren Bush & Jamil Sheriff @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00-9:00pm. £10.00. Concert performance. Tickets: www.laurenbushjazz.com.
Wed 02: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 02: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE! See website for updates: www.theglobenewcastle.bar.

Thu 03: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Women in Jazz.
Thu 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 03: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. A Tees Hot Club promotion. First Thursday in the month.

Fri 04: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 04: Ruth Lambert Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Fri 04: Tom McGuire & the Brassholes @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00.
Fri 04: Nicolas Meier’s Infinity Group + Spirit of Jeff Beck @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm.

Sat 05: Tenement Jazz Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 05: Sleep Suppressor @ Head of Steam, Newcastle. 5:30-6:00pm.
Sat 05: King Bees @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Raymond MacDonald & Jer Reid @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 6:00-9:30pm. £7.72., £1.00. (minimum donation). MacDonald & Reid + Objections + Yotuns.
Sat 05: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Kamasi Washington @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £33.00.
Sat 05: Vermont Big Band @ The Seahorse, Whitley Bay. 7:30pm. Tickets: £10.00 (from the venue).
Sat 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 06: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 06: Learning & Participation Showcase @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm (1:00pm doors). Free. Featuring participants from Play More Jazz! Play More Folk! Blue Jam Singers & more.
Sun 06: Joe Steels Group @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Ferg Kilsby, Joe Steels, Ben Lawrence, Paul Susans, John Hirst.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Hooch, Quayside, Newcastle. 6:00pm.
Sun 06: Leeway @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 07: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 08: ???

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, May 22, 2018

Remembering Kay Rouselle

Drummer/Bandleader Ian Lawrence (Stocks) sent me this photo of the late Kay Rouselle singing with his big band and remarking that he rarely hears mention of her these days which is a pity as, at one time, not only was she winning beauty contests but also went on to become possibly the best vocalist to sing with the Don Smith Band at Newcastle’s famous ballroom, the Oxford Galleries.*
Ian believes Kay’s last big band gig was with his band. She sang with the band for a number of years playing gigs in both England and Scotland.
Although the band included many top local musicians such as Ray Harley and Arthur Mowatt, it didn’t, says Ian, stop Kay speaking her mind if she thought something wasn’t being played right.
The Mayfair Ballroom and the Gosforth Park Hotel were among the many local venues they played. Ian remembers an occasion, after a riverboat trip down the Tyne and back, the bass player packing his instrument then looking over the side of the boat and Kay yelling at him, “Are you going to f…ing help with the gear?”
That, says Ian, was Kay!**
Sadly, Kay Rouselle’s life ended tragically in June 2003, when she died from head injuries received after falling downstairs at her home in Gosforth. She was 63.
Lance.

* The Don Smith line-up in 1962: Brian Whittle (lead alto), Andy Colquhoun (2nd alto), Gary Cox (1st tenor), Joe Patterson (2nd tenor), Gerry Gerke (baritone); Charlie Rowlands (lead trumpet), Terry Noonan (2nd trumpet arranger), Terry Morgan (3rd trumpet), Tony Bishop (4th trumpet); Derek Pilkington (1st trombone), Tommy Weatherley (2nd trombone arranger); Alan Blomerley (piano arranger), John O’Carroll (bass), Johnny Butts (drums). Vocalists: Kay Rouselle and Terry Milligan.
(Crescendo - August 1962).

** Ian goes on to tell about a gig with Arthur Mowatt on keys and Herbie Hudson on trombone. They were doing a Glenn Miller set and Arthur’s music began to slide off the stand. Kay rushed to try and help and, in the process, accidentally hit one of the buttons on the keyboard resulting in an array of bird sounds! Herbie, to his credit, just as Glenn did when the Doodlebugs were overhead (or so Hollywood would have us believe), kept on playing without missing a beat…

1 comment :

Unknown said...

Enjoyed the article and memories of the Oxford. I used to go regularly as a young lad and watch my dad (Derek Pilkington} and Kay on stage. She was a great woman and is sadly missed. Used to go to West Denton Social club to see her late 70s. A great family friend.

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