Bebop Spoken There

Melissa Aldana: ''Having to play a ballads album, which is something very revealing for a saxophone player, would help me to question some new aspects of how to go deeper into sound." (DownBeat May, 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

18573 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 437 of them this year alone and, so far this month (May 28) 91

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

May

Sun 31: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 31: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 31: Sinfonia of London: Tea Dance @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 3:00pm. Free. John Wilson ensemble performing on the concourse. Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, George & Ira Gershwin & more.
Sun 31: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 31: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £3.76.
Sun 31: Joe Steels @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. Free (donations direct to the musicians). Joe Steels & Friends.
Sun 31: Ben Haskins Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00.

June

Mon 01: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 01: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Mon 01: CW Stoneking @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Blues, Americana.

Tue 02: Mark Williams Trio @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00.
Tue 02: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law, Paul Grainger, John Hirst.
Tue 02: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 03: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 03: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 03: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 04: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 04: Postmodern Jukebox @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm.
Thu 04: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Thu 04: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 05: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 05: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 05-Thu 11: FILM: Köln 75 @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. Dir. Ido Fluk. Drama based on the true story of Keith Jarrett’s 1975 concert in Cologne. Screenings TBC.
Fri 05: Pete Tanton & Alan Law @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 05: House of the Black Gardenia: Summer Tyne Swing Festival @ Northumbria University Students’ Union, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £130.00; £95.00; £70.00; £50.00. Note: all day dance event (classes & socials). House of the Black Gardenia evening performance. Day 1/3.
Fri 05: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band + IKS Big Band @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £24.00. Big band double bill. IKS Big Band (Germany).
Fri 05: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £15.00

Sat 06: Struggle Buggy @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 3:00pm. Free. Blues.
Sat 06: Teresa Watson Band @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free. Blues.
Sat 06: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Dry Water Arts, Amble. 7:00pm (6:30pm doors). £15.00.
Sat 06: IKS Big Band: Summer Tyne Swing Festival @ Northumbria University Students’ Union, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £130.00; £95.00; £70.00; £50.00. Note: all day dance event (classes & socials). IKS Big Band evening performance. Day 2/3.
Sat 06: Tyne Valley Big Band @ Northumbrian Revival, West Benridge Farm, nr. Morpeth NE61 3RZ. 7:30-9:30pm. £21.47 (£2.77. child). 82nd D-Day anniversary event.
Sat 06: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 06: FILM: The Magic City: Birmingham According to Sun Ra @ The Star & Shadow Cinema, Newcastle. 9:30pm. £7.00., £5.00. Dir. Guillaume Maupin & Pablo Guarise.

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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