Bebop Spoken There

Christian McBride: ''We knew back in the day that Emmet [Cohen] had it.'' (DownBeat July, 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

18680 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 544 of them this year alone and, so far this month (July 3) 8

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

July

Sun 05: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 05: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Feat. guest Kevin Eland (trumpet).
Sun 05: Michael Woods @ Cycle Hub, Quayside, Ouseburn. 1:30-2:30pm & 3:15-4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues guitar. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sun 05: Lydia Rae Quintet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Rae (vocals); Sam Lightwing (alto sax, tenor sax); Ben Lawrence (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Sun 05: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 05: Storytellers Street Band @ Ouseburn Woodland, Ouseburn. 5:00-6:00pm. Free. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sun 05: Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 05: Jambone @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:15-9:45pm. Free but ticketed.

Mon 06: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 06: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Tue 07: Alan Law Trio @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:30pm. Free.
Tue 07: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Ben Lawrence (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Tue 07: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 08: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 08: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 08: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 08: Sax on the Tyne @ St George’s Church, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £8.00. Feat. Sax on the Tyne & St George’s Community Choir.
Wed 08: Abbie Finn Trio @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.

Thu 09: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 09: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 09: 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 10: Swing Manouche @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00.
Fri 10: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 10: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 10: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 10: Olly Styles & Jacob Egglestone @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 10: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 10: Archipelago @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 7:00pm . New album fundraiser gig.
Fri 10: King Bees @ Rebel Yell, Nelson St., Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. Chicago blues.

Sat 11: Spanish City Rollers @ Community Stage: Mouth of the Tyne Festival, Front Street, Tynemouth. 12 noon. Free.
Sat 11: Jazz Stage: Mouth of the Tyne Festival (o/s Tynemouth Priory), Tynemouth. Free. Vieux Carré Hot 4 (12 noon); Rendezvous Jazz (1:00pm); Castillo Nuevo Trio (2:00pm); Classic Swing (3:00pm); Abbie Finn Trio (4:00pm). Day 1/2.
Sat 11: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man + Adam Millington @ St John’s Chapel, Town Hall, Weardale DL13 1QF. 5:00pm (doors). £16.26., £10.84., £8.67., £5.42 (under 18).
Sat 11: Milne Glendinning Band @ Langley Tracks, Langley-on-Tyne. 5:30pm.
Sat 11: Society Quartet @ Hilton Garden Inn, Sunderland. 6:30pm.
Sat 11: Karberry Big Band @ Forest Hall Social Club. 7:00pm. £7.00.
Sat 11: Ray Quinn: The King of Swing @ The Phoenix Theatre, Blyth. 7:30pm.

Thursday, February 28, 2019

Remember when...

Hi Lance, just recalled a visit to Gateshead Odeon in the early 1950's to see Nat King Cole & the Johnny Dankworth band, Great night, made better by finding out that one of my  childhood friends was there, having married one of Dankworth’s trumpet players so I got to meet them all after the concert. Just wondered if any of your readers remember the Sunday night concerts of those days?
Tommy Henderson

6 comments :

Lance said...

Tommy, who could forget those Sunday nights at Newcastle Odeon or the Essoldo?
I missed Nat King Cole at Gateshead - I either left it too late and it was sold out or else my folks wouldn't give me the money for a ticket. I think I was still at school and the seats were quite expensive.
At a more mundane level in Newcastle - it was where I came in. The good burghers of Newcastle decreed that films on a Sunday violated the Sabbath whereas jazz bands didn't! So, at the Odeon you could hear such as the Ted Heath and Jack Parnell big bands whilst, across town, at the Essoldo, smaller groups like Mick Mulligan, The Saints, Crane River and other trad bands held sway.
Happy days!

Tommy Henderson said...

Happy days indeed Lance, I saw Ted Heath at the Odeon, Vic Lewis Chris Barber,& even Little Richard at the Essoldo, Lionel Hampton & Count Basie at the City Hall, And the Modern Jazz Quartet at the Downbeat Club. They called into Greys Club a few years later to say hello & sit in with my group. nice memories!

Liz said...

I saw Nat King Cole at the Rialto in York, as well as all the big bands. It was owned by Jack Prendergast ( John Barry's dad) he was amazing,he brought all the big stuff to little old York. At the King Cole gig, I remember him playing " Rambling Rose" honestly , you could have heard a pin drop. Similarly when Ted Heath came on one of his many visits, Lita Roza was singing one of her smokey numbers, and my (then) boyfriend called out "Daddy buy me that for Christmas!" of course, it brought the house down!

Liz said...

Remembering Grey's Club in Newcastle. On one of my visits to stay with my aunt in Hebburn in the 60's, we went to see the late wonderful Marian Montgomery, Laurie Holloway's wife.

Tommy Henderson said...

Hi Liz, The lovely Marian Montgomery brought Laurie Hollaway with her for her weeks cabaret at Greys Club, and my pianist Kenny Morell went on vibes, We had a marvellous week with them! a bit like the week Cleo Lane was on, Johnny Dankworth came up with her, On the first night we had most of the Count Basie band in the audience along with her friend Annie Ross cheering her on. What a night for the Jazz loving audience! I'll never forget it!

Liz said...

Wonderful Tommy. I remember there was standing room only the night we were there, and we actually sat on the floor for Marian's set,( literally at her feet!) so informal, we have seen/heard the best of times...

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