Bebop Spoken There

Christian McBride: ''I believe we are living in a historically embarrassing moment in American history.'' - Downbeat December 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

18083 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 1047 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Dec. 14), 61.

From This Moment On ...

DECEMBER 2025

Sun 21: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. ‘Xmas Swingalong’. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 21: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00-5:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ o2 City Hall, Newcastle. 6:00pm. £35.80., £33.25., £31.00.
Sun 21: The Globe Xmas Party @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Live music.
Sun 21: Tweed River Jazz Band @ The Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:30pm. Free.

Mon 22: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 23: Paul Skerritt @ Chakh Dhoom, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Indian restaurant. Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Wed 24: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 24: Alexia Gardner @ The Townhouse, Bridge St., Morpeth. 1:30-4:30pm. ‘The A Capella Sessions’. Gardner, Paula Gardner, Alexia Hope Gardner Diamany.
Wed 24: Paul Skerritt @ Mambo Wine & Dine, South Shields. 1:30pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Thu 25: Alexia Gardner @ The Townhouse, Bridge St., Morpeth. 1:30-4:00pm. ‘All About the Bass Sessions’. Alexia Gardner, Paula Gardner, Jude Murphy.

Fri 26: ???

Sat 27: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. CANCELLED!
Sat 27: Leeds City Stompers @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free.

Sun 28: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 28: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 28: Paul Skerritt @ 3 Stories, High St. West, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 28: The Society Quartet @ Hilton Garden Inn, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Jason Holcomb & co.

Mon 29: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 30: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £8.00., £7.00. adv.

Wed 31: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 31: Lil Miss Mary & the Mr Rights Trio @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. ‘Early NYE Bash’. Rockabilly, rhythm & blues.
Wed 31: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. ‘Midnight in Manhattan’ NYE party. £49.46 (inc. bf) & £29.38 (inc. bf).

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

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Barnhart goes to the movies @ St Augustine's, Darlington - September 21

(Review by Russell)

This time last year at Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club Jeff Barnhart presented his Silent Comedy Film Festival - Reel 1. St Augustine's audience loved it and the popular American promised to return with more classic material from cinema's pioneering years. True to his word our piano master returned with 'Reel 2' under his arm. 

Buster Keaton is a hero for Barnhart and always features in his silent film presentations. Reel 2 included The Bell Boy (Keaton, co-star and director, 25 mins) from 1918. As Barnhart observed, Keaton's on-screen performance alongside Fatty Arbuckle received favourable reviews and as his co-star would soon be engulfed in scandal this was, in some ways, a pivotal moment. 
Barnhart once again insisted that as we became engrossed in the on-screen action he (Barnhart) would become invisible, forgotten. Well, not quite Mr B! Such is our pianist's virtuosity that the 'soundtrack' to this matinee at the movies proved as engrossing as the action on the silver screen. 

One year on (1919) Billy Blazes, Esq from the Hal Roach studio paired Keaton with Bebe Daniels, a star in her own right who would later in life spend some time this side of the Atlantic. Great routines, Keaton on top form, Barnhart suggested this spoof of the Hollywood western wasn't Clint Eastwood!

Barnhart considered The Goat (1921, Keaton co-director with Malcolm St. Clair) a Keaton masterpiece. The plot - Keaton, mistaken for villain Dead Shot Dan, is pursued throughout twenty seven minutes of brilliant set-ups. Serious talent on screen (Keaton), serious talent at the keyboard (Barnhart). Reel 3 at Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club is on the cards for 2020.   
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Calvert & the Old Fools @ Hash Bar & Kitchen, Darlington - September 21

Two minutes from St Augustine's Parish Centre on Coniscliffe Road stands Hash Bar & Kitchen. A favourite Darlington Jazz Festival venue, as your correspondent wandered past on a beautiful Saturday morning the door to the premises just happened to be open and what do you know...Calvert and the Old Fools were concluding their monthly jazz brunch set. Piano, bass and the tenor saxophone of Richie Emmerson went out on Lerner and Loewe's On the Street Where You Live. 
Russell
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