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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

17957 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 278 of them this year alone and, so far, 34 this month (April 14).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Wed 16: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 16: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 16: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED!

Thu 17: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Only Six Standards.
Thu 17: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 18: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 18: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 18: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.

Fri 18: Alexia Gardner @ Fika Gallery, Oldgate, Morpeth NE61 1LT. 7:00pm. Trio (Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy).RESCHEDULED FOR JUNE 13

Fri 18: Sarah Jane Morris & Tony Remy: The Sisterhood @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £25.00.

Sat 19: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-3:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 19: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 19: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 20: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 20: Salty Dog @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 20: Spilt Milk @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 20: Tweed River Jazz Band @ The Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 20: C.A.L.I.E @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 21: Newcastle Record Fair @ Copthorne Hotel, Newcastle. 10:00am. Going in search of the Buddy Bolden cylinder…
Mon 21: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. Coquetdale Jazz.

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, February 12, 2019

Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Beaumont Hotel, Hexham - Feb 11

Ruth Lambert (vocals); Giles Strong (guitar); Paul Susans (double bass)
(Review by Russell)

The Beaumont Hotel is under new ownership and the first signs of change are now apparent. A ground floor corridor has become an off-limits building site with, no doubt, further renovations in the pipeline. What hasn't changed is the Monday evening jazz gig.

This week Ruth Lambert made a welcome return visit. Guitarist Giles Strong and bassist Paul Susans once again joined the Tyneside based vocalist to play a selection of GASbook numbers. Secret LoveDindiMy RomanceDetour Ahead...who could ask for anything more? Ms. Lambert's innate sense of swing gives her a distinct advantage over the many pretenders to her crown. At one point your correspondent mused: Ruth could swing the phonebook.


If taste is a prerequisite - when singing the GASbook it surely is - Lambert, Strong and Susans have it in abundance. Guitarist Strong makes it look easy - as accompanist and soloist - and Paul Susans' bass playing is up there with the best of them. A tasty trio indeed, 'S Wonderful, you could say. Time After Time (wonderful upper register swing from Lambert) then Luiz Bonfá's A Day in the Life of a Fool brought the first set to a close.

The Mordue Brewery's Workie Ticket occupied the bar as the Beaumont Hotel's many diners occupied the dining room. Our trio settled into a corner to enjoy a well-earned meal. Another pint of Workie Ticket, a biscuit - they were on the bar, so why not? - and the second set was upon us. 

Paul Susans' solo on Beautiful Love set the standard for the second set, vocalist Ruth Lambert followed up singing the beguiling verse to Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered and the bewitched audience (a few diehards there for the jazz plus the many diners) agreed There is no Greater Love. Jobim's Agua de Beber presented Giles Strong with another opportunity to show what he could do with timeless material and as the nine o'clock finish approached the trio went out on Angel Eyes, a restrained West Coast Blues (Ms. Lambert can wind it up when the mood takes), No Moon at All and There Will Never Be Another You.

Next week (Monday 18) the Dean Stockdale Trio will entertain the diehards and the diners. Why not join them? Seven o'clock 'til nine.   
Russell

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