Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: ''It was then that Coltrane came along and single-handedly brought this dimension of spirituality into jazz. It was a pivotal experience to me.'' (DownBeat September, 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

18957 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 821 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Sept. 30.) 100.

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

September.

Thu 01: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 01: Rivkala @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 01: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 01: Hot Club de Heaton @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free (donations).
Thu 01: The Scenic Route @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free.

Fri 02: Alison Gill + Markrokosmos @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music (NFOJAIM).SOLD OUT!
Fri 02: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 02: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 02: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 02: Gilby & Hunter + Andy Champion @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 6:00pm. NFOJAIM. SOLD OUT!
Fri 02: Abbie Finn Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. The Abbie Finn Trio augmented by Dean Stockdale (piano).
Fri 02: Alexia Gardner Trio @ Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7:30pm. £15.00.
Fri 02: Zoe Rahman Trio @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 8:00pm. NFOJAIM. SOLD OUT!

Sat 03: New Orleans Ragtime Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club. Gavin Lee & co.
Sat 03: Anemone Quartet + Jeepe Zeeburg @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. NFOJAIM.
Sat 03: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Caravan. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 03: Struggle Buggy @ The Peacock, Sunderland. 6:00pm. Free. Excellent blues band.
Sat 03: Bright Street Big Band @ Washington Arts Centre. 6:30pm. £12.50 (inc. bf). Two sets: 7:30-8:15pm & 8:45-9:30pm. ‘Swing Band Dance Night’.
Sat 03: Olie Brice Quartet + Alexander Hawkins + Harper Trio @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 7:00pm. NFOJAIM.
Sat 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 04: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Heugh Battery, Hartlepool. 11:00am-12 noon & 1:00-2:00pm.
Sun 04: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 04: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Quintet w. special guest Bill Watson (trumpet).
Sun 04: Sax Choir w. Rachel Musson @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 04: Rivkala + Ceitidh Mac + Thatcher & Knowles @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:30pm. A NFOJAIM event.
Sun 04: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free. RESCHEDULED from September 27.
Sun 04: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 04: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £3.00.

Mon 05: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Tue 06: Alan Law @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free. Alan Law (piano) w. Paul Grainger (double bass).
Tue 06: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Murray Oak, Paul Grainger, John Bradford.
Tue 06: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 06: Black is the Color of My Voice @ Northern Stage, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman stage play inspired by Nina Simone. First night of two.

Wed 07: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. Wed 07: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 07: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 07: Black is the Color of My Voice @ Northern Stage, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman stage play inspired by Nina Simone. Second night of two.

Sunday, June 23, 2019

Jazz '65


Delving 'among my souvenirs' I encountered this long forgotten and somewhat tattered programme of a concert at the Royal Festival Hall which I attended in 1965. As I recall I hired a Triumph Herald to drive down to London and I have cherished memories of that car and, of course, the concert!

The concert was promoted as part of The Commonwealth Arts Festival and so we had Maynard Ferguson (Canada), Joe Harriott (Jamaica), The Australian Jazz Players plus Johnny Dankworth, Cleo Laine and Tubby Hayes as the home team.

On drums with the Aussies was Chris Karan, later to be drummer with the Dudley Moore Trio. Some years later I sold him a pair of drumsticks when I worked in a Newcastle music store. I mentioned the concert to him but he couldn't recall it.

The main reason I've posted this is due to the well-deserved resurgence of interest in Tubby Hayes. Sadly, on this occasion, although he played brilliantly, because of the number of acts I think he was only allotted 15-20 minutes.

I wonder if any other readers were present who have more vivid memories of the occasion?
Lance
at

2 comments :

Gordon Solomon said...

Hi Lance. Although I wasn't at this concert I did catch the Tubby Hayes Big Band the previous year at the Richmond Jazz Festival 1964. Like yourself, I drove down, in the company of John Saxelby and Eddie Piper in my Morris Cowley. The band was very tight with wonderful arrangements, I can't remember all the musicians but Jimmy Deuchar and Pete King were there. The highlight of the festival for me was the singing of Jimmy Witherspoon backed by the Chris Barber Band. "Spoon" was terrific and I think that the session was recorded by the BBC. We hadn't booked any digs but we met Mike Carr at the festival and he kindly let us sleep on the floor in his flat in Finchley High Street. The trip was slightly marred after I decided to drive back to Newcastle at 2am on the Monday morning. Needless to say I fell asleep at the wheel on the Grantham Bypass and the car ran through a hotel forecourt demolishing all the advertising signs. Both of the headlights were smashed and mysteriously the rear window disintegrated, showering us with glass. However, we were unhurt and got back safely. A great weekend!
Gordon Solomon.

Monday, June 24, 2019 1:31:00 pm
Patti said...

Well, I didn't go to the concert - and I never saw Tubby Hayes play. Despite him appearing at the British Legion Club in Lancing in the early 1960's, and me starting to get into jazz, I passed up on the opportunity - preferring to go along the coast to Brighton, for the talent on display in Uncle Bonnie's Chinese Jazz Club! Anyway, Lance - you've reminded me about the soft top Triumph Herald that my Mike had when we first met - it was ice blue, I remember, and rather exciting!

Monday, June 24, 2019 4:13:00 pm

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments ( Atom )

Blog Archive