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Bebop Spoken There

George Porter Jr.: ''To me, syncopation is like jazz. It wasn't meant for the masses. It was meant just for a hip few". (DownBeat, May 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.

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.

Sun 04: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 04: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 04: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 04: Spilt Milk @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:00-5:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 04: Rivkala @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 04: Ben Crosland Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 05: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 05: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. 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

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Book Review: Ronnie Scott's 1959-69. Photographs by Freddy Warren

(Review by Lance)

Jazz and photography have had a long and mutual love affair with each other. Nothing captures the memory of a gig better than that of a photo of a saxophone player in full flight, each bead of perspiration caught by the camera, or that of a trumpet player, eyes closed, cheeks extended, heading for the moon. Somehow, a hambone video taken by someone in the audience and posted on YouTube rarely does credit to the performance or the performer. 

With a photo, particularly if you were present, it brings it all back and even if you weren't there it helps you to visualise it.

This latest addition to the ranks of jazz photo albums can sit proudly alongside the collections of such as William Claxton, David Redfern, Val Wilmer and many others.

Freddy Warren was a regular at Ronnie Scott's from the days, or rather nights, at Gerrard St to the current venue in Frith St., for 20 years taking atmospheric shots of the legends who appeared there.

Sadly, after some years of ill health, Freddy Warren died in 2010 during a fire at his home.

Freddy's nephew, Simon Whittle, rescued as many photos and negatives as he could from the charred remains of the apartment in Euston and the result is what eventually emerged in this collection.

They're mainly - but not all - in black and white and perfectly capture the era not least because when a musician hasn't got a horn in his hand he's holding or smoking a cigarette!

Ronnie Scott's, as we all know, has presented just about every great jazz musician and many of the players and singers from those early years are captured here.

Amazing shots of Basie, Cannonball, Tony Bennett, Lockjaw, Dizzy, Duke, Ella, Miles, Bill Evans, Tubbs, Buddy Rich, Stan Getz, Ben Webster and a whole lot more.

Also fascinating are the clips of the MM ads from those early days that adorn the inside of the book's hardback covers.

I'd have liked to have had a few more words accompanying the pictures but, as the man behind the lens is no longer with us, that's just wishful thinking. Besides, if a picture paints a 1000 words etc.

It's much more than a coffee table book, it's a musical history book to adorn your shelves but don't put it so high that you can't reach it!

The Guardian posted some shots from the album here and there is an exhibition currently running at the Barbican Library in London until January 4, 2020.

It's available via the usual online outlets and from all good bookstores

To purchase individual photos go here.
Lance

Freddy Warren, Graham Marsh, Simon Whittle - Ronnie Scott's 1959-69. Reel Art Press ISBN: 978-1- 9095266-3-1. £29.95 

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