Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: ''It was then that Colltrane came along and single-handedly brought this dimension of spirituality into jazz. It was a pivotal experience to me.'' (DownBeat September, 2026)

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

18947 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 811 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Sept. 28.) 90.

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

From This Moment On

September.

Tue 29: Tenderly: The Life & Times of Nat ‘King’ Cole @ Hepscott Parish Hall. 7:30pm. . £15.00., £12.00. (Early Bird advance ticket), £10.00. Off-Broadway production feat. Duane Forrest.
Tue 29: Red Kites Jazz @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 30: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 30: Darlington Big Band @ The Traveller's Rest, Cockerton, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. For one week only the rehearsal night will be at the Traveller's Rest (open to the public).
Wed 30: Tenderly: The Life & Times of Nat ‘King’ Cole @ The Hearth, Horsley. 7:30pm. £15.00., £12.00. (Early Bird advance ticket), £10.00. Off-Broadway production feat. Duane Forrest.
Wed 30: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 30: New Ways of Moving in the Counterworlds + Juliana Day & Manon McCoy + Helen Anahita Wilson @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. A BBC Introducing-Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.

October

Thu 01: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 01: Rivkala @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 01: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 01: Hot Club de Heaton @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free (donations).
Thu 01: The Scenic Route @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free.

Fri 02: Alison Gill + Markrokosmos @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music (NFOJAIM).
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: Gilby & Hunter + Andy Champion @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 6:00pm. NFOJAIM.
Fri 02: Abbie Finn Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. The Abbie Finn Trio augmented by Dean Stockdale (piano).
Fri 02: Alexia Gardner Trio @ Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7:30pm. £15.00.
Fri 02: Zoe Rahman Trio @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 8:00pm. NFOJAIM. SOLD OUT!

Sat 03: New Orleans Ragtime Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club. Gavin Lee & co.
Sat 03: Anemone Quartet + Jeepe Zeeburg @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. NFOJAIM.
Sat 03: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Caravan. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 03: Struggle Buggy @ The Peacock, Sunderland. 6:00pm. Free. Excellent blues band.
Sat 03: Bright Street Big Band @ Washington Arts Centre. 6:30pm. £12.50 (inc. bf). Two sets: 7:30-8:15pm & 8:45-9:30pm. ‘Swing Band Dance Night’.
Sat 03: Olie Brice Quartet + Alexander Hawkins + Harper Trio @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 7:00pm. NFOJAIM.
Sat 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 04: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Heugh Battery, Hartlepool. 11:00am-12 noon & 1:00-2:00pm.
Sun 04: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 04: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Quintet w. special guest Bill Watson (trumpet).
Sun 04: Sax Choir w. Rachel Musson @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 04: Rivkala + Ceitidh Mac + Thatcher & Knowles @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:30pm. A NFOJAIM event.
Sun 04: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free. RESCHEDULED from September 27.
Sun 04: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 04: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £3.00.

Mon 05: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Monday, December 10, 2018

House of the Black Gardenia @ Hoochie Coochie - Dec. 9

(Review by Lance).
Hoochie was heaving. The Lindys were hopping and the Shaggers* were er dancing. The sound system belted out gems from Basie, Ella, Frank, Billie and Der Bingle. Had I died and gone to heaven? No, this was just the pre-nuptials before the House of the Black Gardenia eventually hit the stage.

The Mooche got the live show underway and it soon became apparent that we were in for a treat. Newcomer Tham slotted in effortlessly as anyone who'd heard him at the jam sessions around town already knew he would. Robinson, a black gardenia in his lapel, impressed on liquorice stick as he also did, during the course of the evening, on various saxophones. Michael Lamb proved he can blow swing style as well as he blows bebop and Showtime was, well, Showtime. Add a stomping rhythm section to die for plus the effervescence on the dancefloor and it was little surprise that, to coin a phrase, the joint was jumpin'! 
Ms Charleston took to the stage wielding her trusty Reliance washboard for Blue Drag and Viper Mad. The girl was in good voice and the band as sound as a pre-Brexit pound.

Ochi Chernye had a violin obligato from Katja whilst Don't Tell Lies About me saw Haigh abandon the kit to play guitar and do some chanting.
And so the evening flew by. Even  Graveyard Shift didn't halt the terpsichore on the floor.

Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho and the applause came tumbling down. Michael Littlefield sang what sounded like Careless Love with different words. 'Tricky Sam' Gray blew gutbucket trombone on Handyman and Bobbi described this small group offering as by the Bungalow of the Black Gardenia!

Evenin' sang Littlefield before special guest Rob Heron of Tea Pad Orchestra fame sang Skirts which reminded me of the George Melly classic Nuts.
Make me Mad made everyone mad because we didn't want it to end - ever!
Christmas can't get much merrier than this...
Lance.
*An American dance from the 1920s/'30s.

Bobbi Charleston (vocals/washboard); Michael Lamb (trumpet); David 'Showtime' Gray (trombone); Keith Robinson (soprano/alto/tenor saxes/ clarinet); Katja Roberts (violin); Marcus Tham (keys); Michael Littlefield (guitar/banjo/vocals); Neil Hopper (bass/sousaphone); Kit Haigh (drums/vocals/guitar) + Rob Heron (vocal).
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1 comment :

Keith Robinson said...

Thanks for coming down, enjoying the music, dancers and atmosphere. Just for clarification, these were the song titles: The Mooche, Blue Drag, Viper, Mad Russian, Caravan, Tell Liza ‘bout me, One in a Million, Graveyard Shift, Joshua Fit the battle of Jericho, Ain’t it Hard?, Evenin’, Skirts, Handyman Blues, Big Big Man.

Monday, December 10, 2018 6:13:00 pm

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