Bebop Spoken There

Art Blakey (to Terence Blanchard): ''You ain't Miles find your own shit to do!'' (DownBeat May, 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

18548 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 412 of them this year alone and, so far this month (May 19) 66

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

May

Mon 25: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 26: Noel Dennis Sextet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £12.00. A Miles Davis centenary concert (Davis b. 26. 5. 1926). Noel Dennis (trumpet); Harry Keeble (tenor sax); Dean Stockdale (piano); Mark Williams (guitar); Andy Champion (double bass); John Bradford (drums). SOLD OUT!
Tue 26: Lagos to Longbenton @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 27: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 27: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 27: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 27: Neighbourhood Watch + Rivkala @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £5.00. Rivkala (solo).

Thu 28: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 28: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: Miles Davis & His Favourite Musicians.
Thu 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 28: Bobby Rush @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £25.00. + bf. Veteran USA bluesman.
Thu 28: Squabble @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 28: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Fri 29: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 29: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.

Sat 30: Giles Strong Quartet @ Langley Tracks, Langley on Tyne NE47 5LA. 5:30pm (doors). £15.00 + £1.50 bf.

Sun 31: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 31: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 31: Sinfonia of London: Tea Dance @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 3:00pm. Free. John Wilson ensemble performing on the concourse. Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, George & Ira Gershwin & more.
Sun 31: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 31: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £3.76.
Sun 31: Joe Steels @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. Free (donations direct to the musicians). Joe Steels & Friends.
Sun 31: Ben Haskins Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00.

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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