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Bebop Spoken There

George Porter Jr.: ''To me, syncopation is like jazz. It wasn't meant for the masses. It was meant just for a hip few". (DownBeat, May 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

18018 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 339 of them this year alone and, so far, 17 this month (May 7).

From This Moment On ...

MAY 2025

Thu 15: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: The Greatest in Jazz - Guitarists.
Thu 15: Pete Tanton & the Cuban Heels @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 15: New Ways of Moving in the Counterworlds @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). John Garner & John Pope.

Fri 16: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 16: Sophie Speed with the Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 16: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 16: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 16: Giles Strong Quartet @ Longframlington Memorial Hall. 7:00pm (doors). Tickets: £12.00. from 01665 570984.
Fri 16: Hot Club du Nord @ St Cuthbert’s Centre, Crook. 7:30pm. £10.00.
Fri 16: Peter Donegan & Anthony Donegan @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 7:30pm. ‘Lonnie Donegan - The Stories’.

Sat 17: Teresa Watson Band @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Blues.
Sat 17: The Society Quartet @ Hilton Garden Inn, Sunderland. 6:00pm. Tel: 0191 500 9494. £26.00 (inc. two course meal). Line-up: Jason Holcomb, Hannah Taylor, Alix Shepherd & Abbie Finn.
Sat 17: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 17: Archie Brown & the Young Bucks @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Rhythm & blues, Americana etc.
Sat 17: Rockin’ Turner Brothers @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Rockabilly, Western swing etc.

Sun 18: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 12 noon-2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 18: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 18: Ruth Lambert & Giles Strong @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 18: Steve Summers Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 19: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 19: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 20: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, Bailey Rudd.
Tue 20: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Pleased to Meet You, Bridge St., Morpeth NE61 1ND. 8:00pm.

Wed 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 21: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 21: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

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

Monday, May 06, 2019

Darlington Jazz Festival: New Century Ragtime Orchestra with Enrico Tomasso @ St Augustine's Parish Centre - May 4


(Review by Russell)

Jazz in the Quakerhouse, jazz along at Joseph Pease statue, jazz at St Augustine's...decisions, decisions. Opting for the latter, the Larchfield Street Parish Centre venue couldn't have been busier. Indeed the 100+ attendance set a new record at Darlington's flourishing New Orleans Jazz Club and little wonder with the New Century Ragtime Orchestra's star guests being none other than Enrico Tomasso, Nick Ward and Ruth Lambert. 

The full house lapped up two balanced sets of classic material and popular songs of the day interspersed with some vocal numbers from our vocal triumvirate. The New Century's 'boy vocalist' Jim McBriarty led the way in the vocal stakes singing My Sweet Tooth Says Yes (but my Wisdom Tooth Says No). A good start, there would be more singing from McBriarty and the band's special guests. 
The classic material included Black and Tan Fantasy with, as MC Steve Andrews explained, the saxophone solo harmonised for the reeds' section - Messrs Andrews, Gavin Lee, Alan Marshall, the aforementioned McBriarty and the exceptional Tomasso (trumpet and Louis Armstrong-like vocals). West End Blues is one of those iconic numbers that most trumpeters likely as not shy away from but not Tomasso! An approximation of Armstrong's legendary performance would have sufficed yet hearing Tomasso's masterful recreation at this year's Darlington Jazz Festival will take some beating! 

The Benny Moten Kansas City Orchestra's Rumba Negro, more Ellington with, as Andrews teased his bandmates, Arthur Whetsol, Barney Bigard and 'Tricky' Sam Nanton (actually Tomasso, Lee and Neville Hartley!) playing Black Beauty and a superb Patrol Wagon Blues with Red Allen trumpet and vocals by Rico Tomasso accompanied by percussion wizard Nick Ward's immaculate brushwork were just three highlights during an afternoon of highlights.  

The NCRO's guest band vocalist Ruth Lambert sat to one side chuckling along with the crowded room as MC Andrews kept the one-liners coming. From time to time the Tyneside-based singer, rightly described by Andrews as 'one of England's premier vocalists', joined the ensemble to sing a selection including That's You, Baby, Mad about the Boy and, in an unexpected departure, a wonderful small group (most of the boys vacated the stage seeking liquid refreshment) vocal rendition of Skylark accompanied by Andrew's fluttering, soaring clarinet. 

Gone three o'clock the New Century Ragtime Orchestra said good afternoon to an appreciative, attentive audience with a rousing Limehouse Blues.
Russell                 
New Century Ragtime Orchestra: Jim McBriarty, Alan Marshall, Gavin Lee, Steve Andrews (reeds); Enrico Tomasso (trumpet, vocals); Dave Hignett (trumpet); Neville Hartley (trombone); Colin Haikney (piano); Keith Stephen (guitar, banjo); Phil Rutherford (tuba); Nick Ward (drums); Ruth Lambert (vocals)
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