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Bebop Spoken There

Van Morrison: ''Basically, I'm coming from jazz. Not pop, not rock, not what's commercial. That's where I started, and that's still where I am. I feel the same as I did when I was listening to Louis Armstrong, Lead Belly, Jelly Roll Morton''. (The Northern Echo, 12 June 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

18037 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 458 of them this year alone and, so far, 36 this month (June 11).

From This Moment On ...

JUNE 2025

Sat 14: Mr Wilson’s Second Liners @ Northumberland Miners’ Picnic, Woodhorn Museum, Ashington. 10:00am-5:00pm. Free. At intervals during the day.
Sat 14: Spanish City Rollers @ The Brae, Cullercoats. 11:00am & 1:00pm. Free. A Cullercoats Festival event.
Sat 14: Front Porch Three + Hoodoo Blues swing dance workshop @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 3:30pm. A Cullercoats Festival event.
Sat 14: Tyne Valley Big Band @ Tynedale Beer & Cider Festival, Tynedale Rugby Club, Corbridge. 4:15-5:30pm.
Sat 14: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 14: Mark Williams Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 14: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Sat 14: Eva Fox & Steve Chambers @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 15: Lewis Watson Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 15: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 15: Pasadena Roof Orchestra @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:00pm.
Sun 15: Under the Wellie @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 15: Hannah Brine Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 16: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club (1:00pm). Free.
Mon 16: Giles Strong Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 17: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 18: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 18: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:30pm. Free. Concert performance (open to the public)..
Wed 18: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 19: Gareth John & the SOS Big Band @ The Forum Music Centre, Darlington. 7:00pm. £25.00.

Fri 20: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free..
Fri 20: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free..
Fri 20: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00..
Fri 20: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. £21.50. ‘Time After Time’..
Fri 20: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. .
Fri 20: King Bees @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. Superb Chicago blues band.

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, April 27, 2019

The Ronnie Scott's Story: 60th Anniversary Concert @ Sage Gateshead - April 26

James Pearson (piano); Alex Garnett (tenor sax/vocals); Sam Burgess (bass); Chris Draper (drums); Natalie Williams (vocals).
(Review by Lance).

I'd seen the show a couple of times previously but this didn't detract from an enjoyable evening. When all the old jokes were rolled out I groaned but, they were seemingly new to many of the audience in the three-tiers full Sage Two so I laughed along with them and, truth to tell, I never tire of hearing them again. 

Pearson (pictured left) and Garnett did most of the narration helped by the projected backdrop and some words from the late, great, man himself. I never made it to the Club 11 or the first Ronnie Scott's in Gerrard St. although there was a period when I was a regular at the Flamingo Club, also in Soho, where Ronnie Scott often appeared whilst this coming Wednesday (May 1) I shall be at the Frith St. club where Alan Barnes is playing. Paradoxically, many would say that Barnes has inherited the role of Jazz Court Jester that once was Ronnie's.


I digress as, of course, tonight it was the live music that made the gig something special and the surprise inclusion of Natalie Williams who sang beautifully as she always does

The tall singer looked good and sounded good. Prior to this evening, I'd heard her in a previous edition of the show as well as at  Hoochie, Cadogan Hall and on CD. After the concert, her albums were replacing hot cakes in the bestseller lists and deservedly so.

A Night in Tunisia; How High the Moon; Moody's Mood for Love; Love For Sale; James (Pat Metheny); Spain; I Loves You Porgy; Sister Sadie and the encore It Don't Mean a Thing -  which was synced with a projection of Ella Do-wa-do-wa-do-waing it on screen - all of which were knockout performances.

The band were well featured with some 'Scott-ish' tenor from Garnett who also produced some Roland Kirk-like harmonics, sang a duet with Williams on Moody's Mood and the pair's vocalese/tenor blast on Sister Sadie was truly memorable!

As well as helping out with the anecdotes and 'vamping till ready' Pearson paid tribute to Oscar Peterson with a dazzling Place St. Henri from his [Peterson's] Canadiana Suite, Burgess was featured on Walkin' and Draper played one of the more imaginative drum solos on Love For Sale.

Instrumentals included a blistering Airmail Special; Through the Night Roared the Overland Express and Alfie's Theme.

A thoroughly enjoyable history lesson.
Lance

1 comment :

Andy Hudson said...

"...Anyone in from Middlesbrough... There's a little known fact Ladies and
Gentlemen that towards the end of the war the Americans accidentally dropped
an atom bomb whilst flying over the town......Did £4 of damage."

"Just after the war, we were all very poor and had to walk around dressed in
war surplus clothing...I can tell you it was no fun for a nice jewish boy to
be going around the East End dressed as a Japanese Admiral...."

Hey Ho That was Ronnie.

I do miss him and the other two,

Ronnie's was BPR Ltd Brian Pete and Ronnie

Brian (Theobald) was the agent, Pete (King) was the club manager and
incidentally also a racing driver trainer at Brands Hatch. and of course
Ronnie Scott(Musician and Host)

When I left the North East in 1979; for the first year, my office was on the
1st floor of Ronnies - A gift from the 3 of them to get me going in London.
The first Alexandra Palace jazz Festival was organised from there. It was a
fun-filled period.

"You from Hebburn Sir ? ...... I spent a fortnight there....Last Thursday!"

RIP Ronnie Scott

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