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Bebop Spoken There

George Porter Jr.: ''To me, syncopation is like jazz. It wasn't meant for the masses. It was meant just for a hip few". (DownBeat, May 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

17985(and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 306 of them this year alone and, so far, 62 this month (April 26).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Wed 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 30: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 30: International Jazz Day @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £16.00.; £14.00. adv.. Feat. Guido Spannocchi, John Pope & Steve Hanley + Take it to the Bridge participants + SH#RP Collective with Lindsay Hannon - open rehearsal.

MAY 2025

Thu 01: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Member’s Contribution.
Thu 01: Alabaster de Plume @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Thu 01: Living in Shadows + OUTRI @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Thu 01: The Shayo Experiment @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Shayo Oshodi & Liam Oliver.
Thu 01: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free.

Fri 02: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 02: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 02: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 02: Anna Reay & Deon Krishnan @ STACK, Seaburn. 4:30-6:15pm. Free.
Fri 02: Nauta @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 7:00pm. £7.50. A ‘Nauta’s House’ gig featuring Nauta & guests Shayo Oshodi & David Gray.
Fri 02: Spilt Milk @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 02: Dom Pipkin @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Solo piano.
Fri 02: Abbie Finn Trio @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00. + bf.

Sat 03: Hot Fingers @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 03: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £25.00. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Summer Samba Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 03: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 03: Struggle Buggy @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Blues.
Sat 03: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 03: Postmodern Jukebox @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm.
Sat 03: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £3.00. + bf.
Sat 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 03: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:30pm. Free.

Sun 04: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 04: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 04: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 04: Spilt Milk @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:00-5:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 04: Rivkala @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 04: Boys of Brass @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free.
Sun 04: Ben Crosland Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 05: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 05: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 06: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Victoria & Albert Inn, Seaton Delaval. 12:30pm. £14.00. Tel: 0191 237 3697. ‘Victory in Europe Afternoon Tea’ (VE Day 80th anniversary).
Tue 06: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law, Paul Grainger, John Hirst.
Tue 06: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, North St., Ferryhill DL17 8HX. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 06: FILM: Whiplash @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. 8:15pm.

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

Monday, September 24, 2018

TJ Johnson Band @ The Globe in Morning Lane, Hackney, London - September 23

TJ Johnson (piano, vocals); Al Nicholls (tenor sax); Tony Pitt (guitar, banjo); Tim Fairhall (double bass); Wesley Gibbons (drums) + Goff Dubber (alto sax); Fred? (vocals)
(Review by Russell).
The Globe in Morning Lane is the place to be on a Sunday lunchtime. A 'proper' pub in Hackney, jazz has been on the menu for the best part of twenty years. The regulars know it, they arrive well before noon, and in next to no time, the place is standing room only. 

On Sunday TJ Johnson made a return visit to the hostelry. The regulars like him and with good reason, he's a real entertainer with a top class band playing unpretentious, good time jazz. And they like the beer and there is a raffle and, on this occasion, a lavish spread was laid on by Mine Host, Steve, to celebrate a birthday...his own! 

Three sets (yes, three!), jazz, beer, food, good crack, you can't go wrong. Pianist/singer TJ Johnson kicked off with Exactly Like You. TJ's band knows what it's doing and, crucially, knows what the audience wants. If I Had You, Willie Nelson's On the Road Again, straight-down-the-middle piano playing, bootin' tenor from Al Nicholls and, a real bonus, Tony Pitt playing guitar. Ex-Alex Welsh and many other 'name' bands, Pitt plays with real verve, not bad for a veteran who has seen and heard it all. A Sunday pub gig, yes, it could have been a high profile festival engagement, it made no difference to the unassuming rhythm king. TJ knew he had a diamond in his band.   

The Basie-Eddie Durham cooker Swingin' the Blues did what it said on the tin. Was that Freddie Greene? It could have been, the name was Pitt, Tony Pitt. Small group swing, TJ's penchant for Willie Nelson, whatever the tune the Globe's patrons were up tripping the light fantastic. 

Buffet time. And what a spread! Plates piled high, all tucked in. Landlord Steve read out some parish notices, including the sad news of the death of bandleader and trumpeter Bill Freeman of Happy Jazzmen fame. 

The Lady is a Tramp sang Johnson to get the second set underway. Tenor man Al Nicholls featured on In a Mellotone as did the fine younger generation bassist Tim Fairhall. Runnin' Wild kicked up a storm as the throng danced itself almost to a standstill. 

This being London, TJ couldn't let the occasion pass without paying tribute to Chas Hodges (of Chas and Dave fame). Our bandleader revealed that Hodges was one of his inspirations when, as a teenager in Stockport, he bought a Chas and Dave album. With his ex-wives in mind, TJ sang Ain't No Pleasing You. As an aside TJ said one of Hodges' first gigs back in the fifties was playing bass guitar with Chuck Berry...now there's a claim to fame!

To close the second of three sets the band played a chorus of Happy Birthday for Steve and two others coincidentally celebrating a same-day birthday followed by I've Got the World on a String (TJ certainly had his audience on a string) and Merle Haggard's Workin' Man's Blues

An excellent version of Autumn Leaves (Johnson vocals) opened the final set and no one was going anywhere as the quintet upped the tempo on Don't Get Around Much Anymore (Nicholls' bootin' tenor). An unexpected treat followed with ex-Ken Colyer man Goff Dubber,  playing curved soprano, sitting-in. This was quite a line-up here at the Globe boasting a collective cv of gigs with, variously, Alex Welsh, Colyer and, playing the first of three gigs in a day, drummer Wesley Gibbons who currently works with American pianist Darius (son of Dave) Brubeck! 

The Globe's dancing crowd (including Landlord Steve and his 'Missus' - see photo) demanded an encore and TJ Johnson was ready for them. A N'Awlins' feel to I'll Fly Away sent us on our way. Landlord Steve and his hard working team have developed the Globe on Morning Lane into a 'bucket list' destination for any jazz fan on a visit to London.   
Russell.   




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