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Bebop Spoken There

Trevor Mires: ''My mum is a Dean Martin fan: I'm not, so I would grab my skateboard and get out of the house whenever I heard "Everybody Loves Somebody, Sometime." ". (Jazzwise, 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

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.

Sun 27: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 27: Andrea Vicari Trio @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. Vicari (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Sun 27: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 27: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Xenopoulos, Edis, Paul Susans, Russ Morgan.
Sun 27: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 27: JustKing Jones @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £17.50. JustKing Jones (alto sax, soprano sax); Jordan Williams (piano); Jason Clotter (bass); Malcolm Charles (drums). Ace NYC outfit!
Sun 27: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 27: Swing Manouche @ Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7:30pm. £15.00. Tickets from 01665 711388.
Sun 27: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Xenopoulos, Edis, Ken Marley, Russ Morgan.

Mon 28: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 29: ???

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 + Open Mic Night participants.

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: 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.

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, December 18, 2018

Glenn Miller Orchestra @ Sage Gateshead - Dec 17

(Review by Russell)

In 1988 Ray McVay visited New York to meet with David Mackay Jr., President, Glenn Miller Productions. McVay's dream was to establish a British based band dedicated to performing the music of the famous American bandleader. McVay's trip was successful, not only could he use the Miller name, he returned with licenses, a trunk full of charts and all the help he needed. 

Thirty years on, here at Sage Gateshead, McVay's Glenn Miller Orchestra gave the audience what it wanted. From Little Brown Jug to St Louis Blues to Minnie the Moocher memories were stirred. With a book comprising in excess of two hundred tunes would the favourites be performed one more time? Of course they would! Assisting MD McVay was a well-drilled band (the collective CV boasting ex BBC Big Band sessions, theatre, recording studio, television and radio engagements, countless jazz club gigs and more), star vocalists Catherine Sykes and Mark Porter, the Uptown Hall Gang, the Moonlight Serenaders and the ever-energetic Swing Time Jivers.

A String of PearlsAmerican PatrolIn the MoodPennsylvania 65000 and, inevitably, Moonlight Serenade rolled back the years in Sage One. It's a fair bet some present were there first time around. Heads nodded, feet tapped, the crowd up for a bit of audience participation...the orchestra: Pennsylvania, the masses: 6-5-0-0-0.   

This Sage Gateshead concert was uncomfortably close to Christmas...would we get a surfeit of seasonal songs? Then some! Catherine Sykes sang a flawless version of The Christmas Song and Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Mark Porter crooned Santa Claus is Comin' to Town and as a duo they agreed Baby, It's Cold Outside. The orchestra donned Santa hats, likewise, singers, dancers and MD McVay himself joined in the festive fun.

The Moonlight Serenaders weren't about to be party poopers as they looked forward to a White Christmas and that was about it. Oh, there was a Sinatra medley (Mark Porter), drummer Bobby Cleall woke anyone who may have been dozing with a thunderous party-piece solo on Sing! Sing! Sing! and the Swing Time Jivers - Maxine, Jemma, Shangomula and Julien - reminded the more senior members of the audience of what they themselves did (or attempted to do!) all those years ago. Ray McVay's Glenn Miller Orchestra signed-off with Adios.              
Russell.

Glenn Miller Orchestra: Ray McVay (MD); Mark Porter (vocals); Catherine Sykes (vocals); Andy Potts, Simon Meredith, Martin Dunsdon, Dan Faulkner, Loren Hignell (saxophones); Dave Ford, Alan Berlyn, Danny Hammerton, John Hinch (trumpets); Dale Gibson Jnr., Ray Wordsworth, Bruce Douglas, Keith Hutton (trombones); Bunny Thompson (piano); Paul Scott (double bass); Bobby Cleall (drums) 

Uptown Hall Gang: Simon Meredith (clarinet), Alan Berlyn (trumpet), Ray Wordsworth (trombone), Bunny Thompson (piano); Paul Scott (double bass); Bobby Cleall (drums)

Moonlight Serenaders: Ray Wordsworth, Catherine Sykes, Alan Berlyn, Dan Faulkner 
Swing Time Jivers: Maxine Green, Jemma Gould, Shangomula Edunjobi, Julien Roussel  

2 comments :

Liz said...

Now that's a show I would love to have attended!

Jen Errington said...

Overall a good show - but poor Ray - not sure what age he is - but I kept thinking a 999 call(never mind 6-5000) would be needed as he swayed around the stage and could hardly get his breath - took the edge of it for me and my friends!

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