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Bebop Spoken There

Trevor Mires: ''My mum is a Dean Martin fan: I'm not, so I would grab my skateboard and get out of the house whenever I heard "Everybody Loves Somebody, Sometime." ". (Jazzwise, April 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

17985(and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 306 of them this year alone and, so far, 62 this month (April 26).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Sun 27: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 27: Andrea Vicari Trio @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. Vicari (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Sun 27: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 27: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Xenopoulos, Edis, Paul Susans, Russ Morgan.
Sun 27: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 27: JustKing Jones @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £17.50. JustKing Jones (alto sax, soprano sax); Jordan Williams (piano); Jason Clotter (bass); Malcolm Charles (drums). Ace NYC outfit!
Sun 27: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 27: Swing Manouche @ Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7:30pm. £15.00. Tickets from 01665 711388.
Sun 27: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Xenopoulos, Edis, Ken Marley, Russ Morgan.

Mon 28: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 29: ???

Wed 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 30: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 30: International Jazz Day @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £16.00.; £14.00. adv.. Feat. Guido Spannocchi, John Pope & Steve Hanley + Take it to the Bridge participants + Open Mic Night participants.

MAY 2025

Thu 01: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Member’s Contribution.
Thu 01: Alabaster de Plume @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Thu 01: Living in Shadows + OUTRI @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Thu 01: The Shayo Experiment @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Shayo Oshodi & Liam Oliver.
Thu 01: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free.

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: Anna Reay & Deon Krishnan @ STACK, Seaburn. 4:30-6:15pm. Free.
Fri 02: Nauta @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 7:00pm. £7.50. A ‘Nauta’s House’ gig featuring Nauta & guests Shayo Oshodi & David Gray.
Fri 02: Spilt Milk @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 02: Dom Pipkin @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Solo piano.
Fri 02: Abbie Finn Trio @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00. + bf.

Sat 03: Hot Fingers @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 03: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £25.00. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Summer Samba Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 03: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 03: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 03: Postmodern Jukebox @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm.
Sat 03: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £3.00. + bf.
Sat 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 03: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:30pm. 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

Saturday, September 28, 2019

House of the Black Gardenia @ The Old Coal Yard - September 27

(Review by Russell)

From Ellington through to a closing left hook landing squarely on the bonce of the current occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, the House of the Black Gardenia owned the joint. It wasn't quite Duke gracing the Savoy Ballroom, more like Bobbi Charleston and her boys down the Old Coal Yard. 

Several large, chic industrial heaters warded off a chill autumn air, an air wafting street food vendors' oh-so-tempting pizzas across the Byker premises. Swing dancers gathered preparing to strut their stuff as drinkers queued at Northern Alchemy's no-frills bar. A pint of, hmmm...Passion Fruit and Pineapple Sour*. Okay, the band is on, Ellington (Keith Robinson a key Ellingtonian).

Blue DragRussian Caravan, familiar numbers, make that familiar welcome numbers, performed by a fantastic nine piece outfit, this evening featuring a dep and a new boy; with Showtime elsewhere the Gardenias had to make do - make do! - with the Tenements' Paddy Darley on trombone and, with Marcus Tham having returned home to the Far East, Elliott Rush occupied the piano stool. 

The multi-talented Gardenias interact with the audience to the extent that washboard queen Bobbi Charleston and violinist Katja Roberts always find time to sit-out on one or two numbers to partner a swing dance fan on the floor;  Bobbi on CW Stoneking's Handy Man Blues (Michael Littlefield's fabulous vocals), Katja on Graveyard Shift (Bobbi singing and scrubbing). Paddy Darley had a blast on a Liittlefield blues feature - Ain't it Hard - as did trumpet king Michael Lamb, plungering in old school style.

Second set, more of the same, this is one ace of a  band! Lots of material, an album is due soon (watch this space!); Lamb leading on Spider Crawl, drummer Kit Haigh coming down front to play Django-esque guitar, singing 'bout Liza with Littlefield alongside (there's a duo set in there somewhere!) and before we knew it Bobbi Charleston gave a good kicking (sadly only metaphorically) to 'the mother****** in the White House' with a killer Big, Big Man. An encore was demanded, of course it was, and, with boss bass man Neil Hopper directing the ensemble, Viper Mad once more filled the dancefloor.  
  
*Passion Fruit and Pineapple Sour could be said to be an acquired taste...you can't win 'em all!
Russell.

Bobbi Charleston (vocals, washboard); Michael Lamb (trumpet); Paddy Darley (trombone); Keith Robinson (soprano, alto, tenor saxophones, clarinet); Katja Roberts (violin); Elliott Rush (keyboards); Michael Littlefield (guitar, banjo, vocals); Neil Hopper (bass, sousaphone); Kit Haigh (drums, guitar, vocals)

2 comments :

Marcus Tham said...

Aww, wish i was there! I do sorely miss the whole Northeast Jazz scene very much. Thanks for writing these reviews Lance! It makes me feel closer to Newcastle from where i am halfway across the world in Singapore! :)

Lance said...

Marcus, we miss you too. Not just your great piano playing but your friendly personality. I must point out however, that this review was by my colleague Russell. Great to keep in touch and we'd love it if you could send news of gigs you play in Singapore. Best wishes.

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