Total Pageviews

Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: '' A Love Supreme coincided with my search for meaning in life". (DownBeat, March 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

17873 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 194 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (March 14).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free. CANCELLED PERMANENTLY!
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Nicknames.
Thu 20: Terri Green Experience @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £15.90.
Thu 20: King Bees @ The Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Superb blues band.
Thu 20: Lindsay Hannon Trio @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Hannon’s ‘Tom Waits for No Man’ set.
Thu 20: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:30pm. Free.

Fri 21: Paul Skerritt @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 21: Giles Strong Quartet @ 1719, Hendon, Sunderland. 7:30pm. CANCELLED!
Fri 21: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Featuring special guest Martin Litton (piano).

Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30pm-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 22: Swamp Stomp String Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Sat 22: Rivkala @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sun 23: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 23: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Mississippi MacDonald @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. Blues.
Sun 23: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: The Great Deceivers @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Tom Atkinson & co play King Crimson (1969-1974). Atkinson (guitar); Josh Bentham (alto sax); Stu Dawson (bass); Jeff Armstrong (drums).

Mon 24: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 24: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 25: Fred Wesley & the New JB’s @ The Cluny. 7:30pm (doors). £27.50. POSTPONED! New date Wednesday 26 November.

Thu 27: Hannabiell & Midnight Blue @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 27: Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Superb blues duo.

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

Thursday, November 22, 2018

George Shovlin and the Acoustic Radars @ Charts, Newcastle - Nov 21

George Shovlin (guitar, vocals); George Lamb (guitar); Paul Wilson (piano); John Taylor (bass guitar); Kev Scott (drums)
(Review by Russell) 

Thanks to Pub Culture (Dun Cow, Fire Station, Peacock in Sunderland, Dun Cow, Jesmond, Newcastle) acquiring and redeveloping the long-since closed Flynn's pub on Newcastle Quayside, veteran bluesman George Shovlin has set about establishing a blues night at the company's latest addition to its portfolio.    


Charts, as no.63 Quayside is now known, already hosts a weekly jazz jam session (Sundays 4:00-7:00pm, sitters-in welcome!) and now blues is on the menu. Wednesdays at eight there is a gig featuring some of the best of the region's bluesmen (and women). During October, the Trevors - Sewell and Brewis - played a gig at the waterside venue, as did Martin Fletcher and Chris James and the duo Auld Man's Baccie. Last night it was the turn of Shovlin himself and, in playing an acoustic set, he invited his Radars to join him. 

The split level pub with its walls full of artworks for sale (a black and white print of Billie Holiday has gone, sold last week) was busy a little after eight o'clock as Shovlin played some Furry Lewis. Fans and fellow musicians made the effort to get along and support this new venture. The hand pull dispensing Mordue's Workie Ticket worked overtime as Shovlin reworked some familiar material alongside one or two originals from the Radars' new album Nothing to Lose including Don't You Just Love the Blues? 

Jimmy Reed's Bright Lights, Big City stirred memories of 'Spoon singing the number up the road at the Corner House, Got Love if You Want It stirred memories of listening over and over to Slim Harpo on CD and then there was Big Maceo's Worried Life Blues

Blues at Charts is heading in the right direction - audience numbers are encouraging and, with Mr Shovlin's enthusiasm for the music, this one could be a winner. Next week (Wednesday 28), in a late change to the programme, Johnny Dickinson will be on stage from eight. The planned appearance of blues shouter Mo Scott (Little Mo, to some), is to be rescheduled to a later date.              

Russell 

No comments :

Blog Archive