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Bebop Spoken There

Van Morrison: ''Basically, I'm coming from jazz. Not pop, not rock, not what's commercial. That's where I started, and that's still where I am. I feel the same as I did when I was listening to Louis Armstrong, Lead Belly, Jelly Roll Morton''. (The Northern Echo, 12 June 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

18037 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 458 of them this year alone and, so far, 36 this month (June 11).

From This Moment On ...

JUNE 2025

Sun 15: Lewis Watson Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 15: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 15: Pasadena Roof Orchestra @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:00pm.
Sun 15: Under the Wellie @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 15: Hannah Brine Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 16: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club (1:00pm). Free.
Mon 16: Giles Strong Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 17: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 18: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 18: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:30pm. Free. Concert performance (open to the public)..
Wed 18: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 19: Gareth John & the SOS Big Band @ The Forum Music Centre, Darlington. 7:00pm. £25.00.

Fri 20: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 20: David Gray's Flextet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 20: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. £21.50. ‘Time After Time’.br/> Fri 20: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm.
Fri 20: King Bees @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. Superb Chicago blues band.

Sat 21: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 21: Red Kites Jazz @ Staithes Café, Dunston. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Sat 21: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

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

Wednesday, June 05, 2019

Over in the Glory Land with Dave Rae's New Orleans All Stars @ Cullercoats Crescent Club - June 5

Peter Wright (trumpet); Liz Bacon (clarinet); Lawrence McBriarty (trombone); Dave Rae (banjo, guitar, vocals); Bill Colledge (string bass*); Paul Bacon (drums) + John Broddle (vocals)
(Review by Russell)

It was a story of Dave and the Duchess. Those 'in the know' rubbed shoulders with jazz royalty (Dave Rae and co.), others went 'up north' to meet up with some country bumpkins. The Vieux Carré's garden party engagement in Alnwick presented Springwell's finest with an opportunity to play a gig on the coast. The Crescent Club's Wednesday crowd turned out as usual although on this occasion the banjoist wasn't B Bennett, rather D Rae.
All I do is dream...the combo comprising part Levee Ramblers, part VCJ, was up and running. A pint of the Old Potting Shed's Wild Horses (4.1%), a toastie, the sun shining, all was well with the world. Liz Bacon handled Clarinet Marmalade without the help of a fellow liquorice sticker, then - did Dave Rae say a tune from 1787?! - Sweet Fields. The All Stars took a leap of faith to play something dangerously modern - Put on Your Old Grey Bonnet (1909, with a Dave Rae vocal), a tune George Lewis used to play. Enough risk-taking, Listen to the Mockingbird from 1855 would restore sanity! 

Bandleader Rae took another vocal on Exactly Like You leading up to the interval with a number popularised by Kid Ory - Don't Go Away Nobody. Nobody was going anywhere. The raffle came and went, with it a rather nice prize of a Rae Brothers' CD featuring Clem Avery, and before long the second set was underway.

Don't Give Up the Ship kept us on course (imagine trumpeter Peter Wright as Kid Howard), the band's sole guest, John Broddle, sang Crazy (JB doesn't look or sound like Patsy Cline) and stayed on to sing Out of Nowhere accompanied by Lawrence McBriarty's fine trombone playing backed by Rae on guitar. 

Over in the Glory Land sang Raeone of the timeless spirituals - a highlight of the afternoon here on Cullercoats Bay. As the big hand approached three Apex Blues upped the tempo (Liz Bacon impressing on clarinet) with the ensemble taking it home, first on St Louis Blues, then a rousing Bill Bailey. Next week, if B Bennett's mob can find its way back from the Wilds of Wanney, normal service will be resumed.     
  
* New Orleanians prefer 'string bass' rather than 'double bass'! 
Russell  

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