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.

Thursday, June 06, 2019

Jamming in Jesmond @ the Dun Cow - June 5

(Review by Lance).

This was one of those fun nights - how could it not be with the irrepressible James Harrison at the keyboard? A musical joke never far from his fingertips, an appropriate quote an integral part of every number, and even if he does go over the top at times, so what? It's a jam session not Evensong at Westminster Abbey.


Stomping at the Savoy saw the Dun Cow metaphorically doing just that. A Latin number had some hand-drumming from Tom Chapman before Kay Usher fiddled while Harrison burned. Take the A Train and Softly as in a Morning Sunrise with banjo accompaniment from Ben Helm were the test pieces and all passed with honours.

Helm moved on to guitar and Jan Spencelayh sang. The lady from Hartlepool is fast becoming noticed not least after her version of You Turned the Tables on Me - a request - and I Put a Spell on You.

Matt came off the bench and settled in behind the kit, Ben reverted to banjo, Jennifer Davies sat next to a sign advertising a Pool Competition and kept Nina Simone in the frame with My Baby Just Cares For me. One of these days, someone will update the lyrics to this great song - suggestions for alternatives to Lana Turner, Liz Taylor and Liberace please. A rousing Route 66 had solos from Matt and Ben, this time on guitar, and Jennifer got all the place names in the right order.
It was certainly a singers night, next up was Mel Grundy with You'd be so Nice to Come Home to and Beautiful Love. Nice chord solo from Ben on the former.

Kay Usher returned for Exactly Like You and, with Marcus Tham on piano, All of Me.

Jan sang This Can't Be Love, and What a Difference a Day Made. Archie was now on drums,

Another star was born when Eleni Georgiou sang Ain't Misbehavin', One Note Samba and How High the Moon? John Rowland joined the party and Eleni reprised Ella's take on 'Moon'.

Jennifer bounced back for a fast I'm Beginning to See the Light and the show closed with In a Mellow Tone.

Audience wise, this was possibly the best Dun Cow jam yet. Well done to Paul Grainger for putting it all together.
Lance.

James Harrison (keys); Paul Grainger (bass); Tom Chapman (drums) + Kay Usher (violin); John Rowland (tenor sax); Marcus Tham (piano); Matt MacKellar, Archie Williamson (drums); Ben Helm (guitar/banjo); Jan Spencelayh, Jennifer Davies, Mel Grundy, Eleni Georgiou (vocals).
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1 comment :

Jan S said...

It was a great night! Really fun and buzzing! Many thanks to the incredibly talented core team of musicians and great to see some terrific young musicians and singers coming along and contributing!

It's funny you should mention updating the lyrics to My Baby Just Cares, Lance ... for a while now - second time round I've been singing 'Johansson is not his style and even Julia Roberts' smile ...' Both scan nicely although I've been racking my brain to come up with a better one than using only a surname (as in Scarlet's). Anyone got any better suggestions?

Thursday, June 06, 2019 2:23:00 PM

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