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.

Sunday, March 10, 2019

Saturday evening @ Bix Fest, Racine, Wisconsin - March 9

(Review by Russell)

They get dressed up for this one. Saturday evening at Bix Fest features some of the very best classic jazz era musicians to be found anywhere on the planet. Hot Chicago jazz, N'Awlins’ finest, ragtime masters and Wisconsin's own, this was to be a veritable feast of jazz. 

Reginald Robinson entertained the rapidly filling room with a selection of blues and ragtime numbers some of which were original compositions. Robinson's Little Dave Blues was inspired by his father's rather unusual day (night?) job...driver to mobster John Dillinger! Racine is but a short hop on the freeway from Chicago and this evening there were one or two mobster types at Bix Fest, thankfully they were swing dancers dressed to the nines. Hey, is that Bogie over there?! 

Robinson's partner in crime - sorry, ragtime - John Reed-Torres belatedly arrived to play Queen's Rag. Meanwhile, none of the guys appeared to be packing heat as they escorted their gals onto the by now crowded dance floor. 

Milwaukee's Sweet Sheiks took to the stage to play their opening set. Clarinet/alto sax, trombone, guitar/musical saw, banjo/guitar, brass bass and washboard, the young local six-piece kept the dancers on their feet with an hour or so of favourite numbers including Dr Jazz and The Sheik of Araby. 

The feted Cellar Boys (see photo) arrived from Chicago's Southside with all guns blazing. Don't panic! This wasn't a contract job to wipe out a rival mobster, this was Andy Schumm leading a storming set of Chicago jazz with the A-Team on the job. Working with Schumm this evening were John Otto (reeds), Paul Asaro (piano), John Donatowitz (banjo) and Dave Bock (brass bass). Hey, they needed a moll to sing a few numbers with the band. Hey Roya, come on, why don't ya join the boys on the stand? Roya Naldi, every inch the flapper, feigned indifference, this gal is a star in the making singing Guilty, Somebody Stole My Gal (Guy) and several others. What a dame! 

Top that! And they did, the Shake 'Em Up Jazz Band, that is. Last heard during the Durham (England) Brass Festival 2018, the all-female six piece outfit from N'Awlins played a killer set. Marla Dixon (trumpet, vocals), Chloe Feoranzo (clarinet, vocals), Haruka Kikuchi (trombone, vocals) - see photo of Chloe and Haruka waiting to take to the stage –, Molly Reeves (guitar, vocals), Julie Schexnadery (string bass) and Defne 'Dizzy' Incirlioglu (washboard) wowed the hard-partying Bixians. Wild Women Don't Get the Blues insisted Marla Dixon. One hour later the Shake 'Em Up girls left the stage to tumultuous applause. And guess what? This was just the mid-way point of the evening! The Shake ‘Em Ups, the Cellar Boys and the Sweet Sheiks returned to each play a second set. Fast forward to 1:00am, second sets done, the dance floor still crowded, it was time for an early hours jam session here at Bix Fest 2019. 
Russell
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