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Bebop Spoken There

Sullivan Fortner: ''I always judge it by the bass player: If the bass player is happy, it's going to be a good night". (DownBeat, February 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

17805 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 126 of them this year alone and, so far, 51 this month (Feb.16).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Sun 23: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 23: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Mark Williams Trio @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 23: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 23: Mississippi MacDonald @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. Blues.
Sun 23: Mu Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. CANCELLED!
Sun 23: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 24: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 24: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 25: ?

Wed 26: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 26: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 26: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 27: Jamie McCredie @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Fri 28: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. THIS WEEK ONLY JAMES BIRKETT (guitar)!
Fri 28: Luis Verde Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 28: Spilt Milk @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £8.00.
Fri 28: Knats @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £11.50. (inc bf.). Album launch gig. Support act TBC.
Fri 28: Black is the Color of My Voice @ The Gala, Durham. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman show inspired by the life of Nina Simone, performed by Florence Odumosu.
Fri 28: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival: Musicians Unlimited @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 8:00pm. £10.00. (Weekend ticket £20.00., available on the door). Day 1/3. Musicians Unlimited in concert.
Fri 28: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

MARCH 2025

Sat 01: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 11:00am. £15.00. Day 2/3.
Sat 01: TJ Johnson Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 01: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £25.00. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Get your funk on! Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 01: Shunyata Improvisation Group @ The Watch House, Cullercoats. 2:00-3:30pm. Free.
Sat 01: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers. Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Struggle Buggy @ The Peacock, Sunderland. 6:00pm. Blues band.
Sat 01: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 01: Jack & Jay’s Vintage Songbook @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

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

Friday, March 08, 2019

Bus Tour to Hell @ Bix Fest, Racine, Wisconsin - March 7

(Review by our man in Wisconsin)

A Tribute to Bix (Bix Fest) began with a day-long bus tour to some historic jazz sites in the state of Wisconsin. This thirtieth year Bix Fest event visited Milwaukee, Hartford and Racine. The trip - Bus Tour to Hell - was conducted by Bix Fest director Phil Pospychala. It was to be some day!

At ten in the morning, a coach full of jazz fans departed the festival base with the first stop at 13th and Manitoba in Milwaukee The jazz tourists disembarked, cameras at the ready to grab a shot of the now dilapidated Starlight Hall (see photo). It was here, it is thought, that Andy Jackson's Rhythm Kings once performed circa 1929. The fact that the building is in a poor state of repair somehow added to its appeal. 


The next stop on the self-styled 'Bus Tour to Hell' would include some live jazz! Out on to the freeway Phil's rambling commentary entertained his Bix Fest coach of merry men and women (by now the booze was flowing) who were looking forward to privileged access to the Schwartz Ballroom in Hartford. An octagonal design, the historic building once hosted concerts by some of the great names of the music - Louis Armstrong, Tommy Dorsey, Duke Ellington and Benny Goodman. A live radio broadcast by Guy Lombardo drew a crowd of 6000. Standing in the hall was indeed a rare moment. 

The Bus Tour to Hell included among its number a five-piece band plus vocalist. The musicians were every bit as excited as the rest of the party to be at a truly historic venue. Andy Schumm (a fixture at the annual Mike Durham Classic Jazz Party on Tyneside, England), on this occasion playing tenor saxophone, took to the stage with his ad hoc bandmates to play a few numbers in this magical 'Echoes of Ellington/Goodman et al' arena. Dave Bock, soon to make his Tyneside, indeed British debut, played tuba with Chicago's West End Jazz Band with leader Frank Gualtieri impressing on trombone. Vocalist Roya Naldi, looking every bit the 20s flapper, joined the boys to sing a couple of numbers including Cherry and After You've Gone. A truly memorable occasion.

Back on the bus Phil's 'entertaining' commentary frequently went off at a tangent, it was all part of the fun. The next port of call took us back to Milwaukee to wander around the Oriental Theater which, during the 1920s, hosted many big names. Popcorn was purchased. The final stop of the day was to step inside the Memorial Hall in downtown Racine. Gone five in the afternoon, the venue's staff graciously hung back to welcome the jazz tourists. The purpose of the stop-off? The Paul Whiteman Orchestra once graced this imposing lakeshore - that's Lake Michigan - venue. Once again cameras clicked, the jazz tourists drinking it all in.
 
The Bus Tour to Hell made its way back to Bix Fest HQ via an unscheduled stop at one of Wisconsin's many craft brewery taprooms. The Racine Brewing Company opened its first pub in a disused shop little over twelve months ago and it became an instant success story. The proprietor, Andy Molina, was working behind the bar as the busload of jazz fans descended on the place. He couldn't believe his eyes or his luck! For the record, the Wisconsin Brewing Co's Yankee IPA (6%) was more than acceptable. Yes, this had been one crazy 'Bus Tour to (Jazz) Hell' and back!         

Russell.

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