Bebop Spoken There

Donovan Haffner ('Best Newcomer' 2025 Parliamentary Jazz Awards): ''I got into jazz the first time I picked up a saxophone!" - Jazzwise Dec 25/Jan 26

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

18146 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 24 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 7), 24

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Sat 10: Mark Toomey Quintet @ St Peter’s Church, Stockton-on-Tees. 7:30pm. £12.00. (inc. pie & peas). Tickets from: 07749 255038.

Sun 11: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 12: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 12: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 13: Milne Glendinning Band @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00. Coquetdale Jazz.
Tue 13: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 14: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 14: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 15: Mark Toomey Quartet @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. Quartet + guest Paul Donnelly (guitar).

Fri 16: Giles Strong Quartet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 16: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 16: Darlington Big Band @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 16: Leeds City Stompers @ Billy Bootleggers, Newcastle. 9:00pm. Free.

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

Wednesday, July 25, 2018

Classic Swing @ The Ship, Monkseaton - July 24

Bob Wade (trumpet, flugelhorn); Jim McBriarty (tenor sax, clarinet, vocals); Don Fairley (trombone); Colin Haikney (piano); Alan Rudd (double bass); Tommy Graham (drums), Olive Rudd (vocals).
(Review by Russell)

If it's Tuesday it must be the Ship Inn. Classic Swing's weekly Monkseaton residency continues to attract a good number of folk to listen to the New Orleans to swing era band fronted by vocalist Olive Rudd alongside explosive trumpeter Bob Wade. 

It Don't Mean a Thing sang Olive and the boys in the band - including Mr Alan Rudd - tended to agree. Out of Nowhere with Wade playing flugelhorn is a favourite of band and audience featuring relaxed solos across the frontline. 
Pianist Colin Haikney set the bar high on Perdido although this didn't deter Rudd A from taking a concise solo. This afternoon drummer Tommy Graham briefly stepped into the spotlight when Wade informed us that it was Tommy's birthday...a chorus of Happy Birthday greeted a beaming Mr Graham!

An interval toastie, a dud raffle ticket, and before long the second set got under way with Olive singing Blue Skies (the band out for one chorus as Don Fairley's trombone solo accompanied by Rudd's sublte bass line reminded us of just how good a player he is), Muskrat Ramble raised the roof with Wade prominent and as three o'clock approached Limehouse Blues featured Jim McBriarty's swinging tenor sax. 

Birthday boy Tommy Graham had a ball on Caravan and to round off another enjoyable session at the Ship, Olive Rudd rejoined the band to sing Tuxedo Junction.
Russell.   

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