Bebop Spoken There

Emma Rawicz: "In a couple of years I've gone from being a normal university student to suddenly being on international stages." DownBeat January 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

18219 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 73 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 24), 73

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Fri 30: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 30: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 30: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 30: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 30: Pete Roth Trio @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Feat. Bill Bruford.
Fri 30: Jive Aces @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm.
Fri 30: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Northern Edge Coffee, Silver St., Berwick. 7:00pm.
Fri 30: Dan Coulthurst Quintet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £10.00 + £1.00. bf (www.wegottickets.com). Coulthurst (trumpet); Joel Steadman (bass clarinet, flute); Nico Widdowson (piano); Fergus Quill (double bass); Theo Goss (drums).

Sat 31: Darling Dollies @ St George’s Church, Jesmond, Newcastle. 3:00pm. £10.00. Vocal trio.
Sat 31: Brass Fiesta @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 10:30pm. Free.

FEBRUARY 2026

Sun 01: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 01: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Quintet + guest Bill Watson (trumpet, flugelhorn).
Sun 01: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: Annie & the Caldwells @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £25.00. adv. Gospel/soul.
Sun 01: Jive Aces @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm.
Sun 01: Olly Styles Experience + Jenny Baker @ the Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 02: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 02: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 03: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 03: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 04: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 04: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 05: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject:Times of the Day & Trios.
Thu 05: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Special guest Emma Wilson.
Thu 05: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

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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