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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

17,533 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 497 of them this year alone and, so far, 75 this month (June 23).

From This Moment On ...

JUNE 2025

Wed 25: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 25: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 25: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 25: The Magpies of Swing @ The Roxy, Leadgate, Co. Durham. 7:30pm. A Ginger Jitterbugs swing dance event, all welcome.

Thu 26: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Brass Instruments & the use of mutes.

Fri 27: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm.
Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 27: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 8:00pm. ‘Time After Time’.

Sat 28: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Linskill Centre, North Shields. 4:00-10:30pm. Free, but ticketed (over 18s only). A multi-bill, multi-genre ‘Canny Shiels - North Shields 800’ event. Three Kings Brewery on site.
Sat 28: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 28: Jude Murphy & Dan Stanley @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 29: Jude Murphy & Dan Stanley @ Wallington, Northumberland. 12 noon-1:00pm & 2:00-3:00pm. Tel: 01670 773606. National Trust admission prices apply. ‘Tunes in the Blooms’.
Sun 29: Bal Bruch Social Dance @ As You Like It, Sandyford, Newcastle. 12:30pm. Free. Dance event with Hot Club de Heaton performing live (2:00-3:00pm). A ‘Jar on the Bar’ event.
Sun 29: Glenn Miller Orchestra UK @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 3:00pm. Ray McVay & co.
Sun 29: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 29: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 29: Zoë Gilby w. Ryton Choral Society @ Corbridge Middle School NE45 5HX. 5:30pm. £15.00. Gilby w jazz trio & choir. ‘An evening of jazz song for choir’.
Sun 29: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 29: John Wilson & the Sinfonia of London @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. ‘Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Greatest Hits’.
Sun 29: Out Front @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. JNE.

Mon 30: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club (1:00pm). Free.

JULY 2025

Tue 01: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Mark Robertson.
Tue 01: Customs House Big Band @ Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.

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

Thursday, August 08, 2019

Ann Hampton Callaway: Jazz Meets Broadway @ Pizza Express, Soho - August 7

Ann Hampton Callaway (piano/vocals)
(Review by Lance/Photo courtesy of Sebastian Scotney)

In this day and age it is a brave initiative to book a solo artist for 5 consecutive nights (2 at the Pheasantry and 3 at Dean St.) but, judging by last night, it paid off with many who had been at the Chelsea gigs following up here for a second helping and, I'm told, a totally different programme.

This was the final gig of my two day trip to our capital city and what a gig it was! The title "Jazz Meets Broadway" summed up the evening perfectly. This was jazz, cabaret style, in a manner that detracted from neither worlds. 

As Ms. Callaway observed, many of our jazz standards began life in Broadway shows and often bore little resemblance to what jazz musicians and singers subsequently did with them.

That Old Devil Moon included a scat chorus any jazz instrumentalist would be proud of. Just in Time was, just divine, leading, as it did up to 'the patter'.

This is one funny lady!

I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face was simply beautiful although she may have neutralised the gender in the lyric.

Callaway also does amazing impressions - such is her vocal range no one is safe! On How High the Moon I'd venture she even outdone Ella her idol with another amazing scat solo. Prior to this she'd sung a few bars as Broadway baritone Alfred Drake may have performed the tune!

"How many singers does it take to sing My Funny Valentine?" asked Callaway. Answer "all of them". The audience by now were her devoted slaves and her revealing story of the background to Larry Hart's lyric meant that I, and I'm sure all of the others present, no longer saw the piece as an overworked vehicle but one of the most poignant songs ever written!

And so the show rolled on. Can't mention everything there was just too much! In an audience sing-along number she advised us not to try it if we had a lisp - 'S Wonderful!

Another killer was Blues in the Night - never heard the Harold Arlen classic done better.

Those who witnessed Soweto Kinch's gig at DJazz last year will no doubt remember his audience participation "let's write a tune" number. The audience shouts out words and the artist then makes a song incorporating them.

Ann (at this stage I think we can dispense with formalities) did just that and managed to compose a credible lyric with words related to London such as BBC, Brexit (natch), Willesden and a whole lot more. All good fun.

To finish off with it was Carole King's You've Got a Friend - So have you Ann, a room full of them.
Lance.
PS: Ann Hampton Callaway also plays mighty fine piano!
PPS: Good to catch up with Sebastian of LondonJazz News who kindly took the picture.

That Old Devil Moon; Just in Time; I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face; How High the Moon?; My Funny Valentine; Ain't Misbehavin'; Every Time We Say Goodbye; Taking a Chance on Love; From This Moment On; Happy Birthday; This Can't Be Love; It Never Entered my Mind; Whatever Lola Wants; 'S Wonderful; They Can't Take That Away From Me; Blues in the Night;You've Got a Friend.

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