Bebop Spoken There

Warne Marsh: "At some point, you have to be prepared to create—to perform. It's vital, man, if we're talking about jazz, the original jazz, the performing art. It fulfils its meaning only when you play it live in front of an audience." DownBeat January 1983.

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

18191 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 45 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 14), 45

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Thu 22: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: 2025 obituaries.
Thu 22: Ronnie Scott’s Soho Songbook @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Thu 22: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta. @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 8:00pm (doors). £6.50 (inc. bf).

Fri 23: Sue Ferris Quintet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 23: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.

Sat 24: An Evening with Will Todd @ Durham Cathedral. 7:30pm. Feat. Voices of Hope, Strictly Smokin’ Big Band (members of) & Alice Grace. Performance inc. Todd’s Jazz Missa Brevis. £25.50., £13.50., £19.50., £10.50.

Sun 25: Musicians Unlimited @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 25: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 25: Gaz Hughes Trio @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 25: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 25: Alexia Gardner Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £7.00.

Mon 26: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 27: Pete Roth Trio @ Forum Music Centre, Darlington. 7:30pm. Feat. Bill Bruford.

Wed 28: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 28: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 28: Mama Terra @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £19.08 (inc. bf).
Wed 28: James Hunter Six @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £28.50. adv. Rhythm & blues.
Wed 28: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. 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

Saturday, January 26, 2019

Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms - January 25

Maureen Hall (vocals); Jim McBriarty (clarinet, vocals); Don Fairley (trombone); Malcolm Armstrong (keyboards); George Davidson (drums, vocals) + Doris Fenn (banjolele)
(Review by Russell)

Jazz Street that's Monkseaton's Front Street. The Ship Inn, lunchtime Tuesday, there is jazz, it is hoped a monthly Sunday session will soon resume at the Black Horse, and every Friday,  come hail or come bright winter sunshine, Maureen Hall's Rendezvous Jazz can be found at the Monkseaton Arms.
 
As usual, all seats were occupied as singer Maureen Hall called the boys over from the bar for the band's regular one o'clock start. Give Me Your Telephone Number for starters. Hall followed up with a vocal number - You Belong to Me - assisted by excellent support from the band; Jim McBriarty, clarinet, playing his final gig with the band before heading off to pastures new, trombonist Don Fairley playing as well as ever, Malcolm Armstrong on top of it all playing keyboards, and the man at the back, singing drummer George Davidson.


Don Fairley in Teagarden mode featured on A Hundred Years from Today - a class act is Mr Fairley. Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone pleaded Hall as your scribe went to the bar to replenish a glass with - it couldn't be anything other on the day Fuller's Brewery sold up for £250m - another London Pride. The raffle came and went, pub meals were polished off and in no time Rendezvous Jazz returned for a second set.
Ah, yes, the second set - by tradition, the great Doris Fenn joined the band. Banjo, no a banjolele, is Fenn's chosen instrument. It's a Long Way to Tipperary sang Davidson, Hall sang Dream (one of the highlights of the afternoon), the band ripped through Swing That Music, later they told us about Martha and as the three o'clock finish approached Hall made a call to Dr. Jazz.     

Next week (Friday, February 1) with Jim McBriarty gone and Don Fairley away for a few days, bandleader Hall has drafted in a couple of handy deps - Mr Mick Hill, trumpet and Mr Neville Hartley, trombone. So, another good session is on the cards, one o'clock sharp.    
Russell.

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