Bebop Spoken There

Gary Bartz: ''Charlie Parker was my introduction to the religion of music. And so he's always with me .'' - Downbeat November 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

17927 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 891 of them this year alone and, so far, 104 this month (Oct. 31).

From This Moment On ...

November

Fri 07: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 07: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 07: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 07: Hejira @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. Celebrating Joni Mitchell.

Sat 08: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 08: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm.

Sun 09: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Salty Dog @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:30pm (doors). Jazz, blues, Americana.
Sun 09: Graham Hardy’s Eclectic Quartet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 09: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Sun 09: David Gray’s Flextet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 10: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club (1:00pm). Free.

Tue 11: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 11: Laura Jurd @ The Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 8:00pm. JNE.

Wed 12: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Tannery Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 12: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 13: Thu 04: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Seasonal/Festive Music & Songs - autumn into winter.
Thu 13: Awen Ensemble @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £5.00. Jazz-folk.
Thu 13: SwanNek + Ellen Beth Adbi + Phantom Bagman @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. A BBC Introducing event.

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

Monday, September 30, 2019

Jazz in the Afternoon @ Cullercoats Crescent Club - September 30

(Review by Russell)

A quintet today with Don Armstrong playing a final gig with the band before heading back to Oz. The Crescent Club's bar was doing good business on a sunny Monday lunchtime as Herbie Hudson and the boys got things under way with When You Wore a Tulip.

Lots of vocals and vocalists today (reedsman Armstrong sharing duties with HH on the opener), Ollie Rillands drumming and singing on Green Door (HH harmonica) and the first of Jazz in the Afternoon's guests - harmonica ace Brian Lynham - singing and blowing harp on Cleanhead Vinson's Kidney Stew Blues. Our No Time for Jive* frontman stayed on to form a harmonica duo with Hudson on Makin' Whoopee. 
Tradition has it that an extended interval takes the form of an unofficial middle set. Pianist Brian Chester went to the bar and with the help of pal Jimmy the Brush propped it up while Roy Gibson took a spell at the keyboard. Armstrong, soprano sax, and Hudson, trombone, knocked out top solos on I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter before being joined by John Broddle who chose to sing I Can't Believe That You're in Love with Me. Mr B never fails to inject a sense of swing and on this number Armstrong's solo quoted Charlie Parker - excellent! Mr B kept it swinging with a relaxed I'll See you in My Dreams - again, excellent! 

Jazz in the Afternoon wouldn't be Jazz in the Afternoon without Teresa Armstrong. Autumn Leaves and I Can't Give You Anything but Love, Baby kept Teresa's legion of fans happy.  

The third set (officially the second set) heard Oz-bound Don Armstrong in fine form on Stranger on the Shore. Harmonica man Lynham rejoined the party (Mr Chester continued to prop up the bar) to make it a two-harmonica pincer movement with HH as John Broddle sang Cheek to Cheek. 

At ten to three Brian Chester returned to the stand just in time for Ollie's rock 'n' roll medley. Finally, jivers exhausted, the boys went out on The Sheik of Araby - Broddle swinging it, Chester soloing and Armstrong saying his farewells on clarinet.    
   
Herbie Hudson (trombone, harmonica, vocals); Don Armstrong (soprano sax, clarinet, vocals); Brian Chester (keyboards); Dave Percy (bass); Ollie Rillands (drums, vocals) + Brian Lynham (harmonica, vocals); Roy Gibson (keyboards); Teresa Armstrong, John Broddle (vocals).

* No Time for Jive will be in concert at the Crescent Club (in the buffet) on Friday 15 November. £4.00. Ticket hotline: 0191 280 2625. 
Russell
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