Bebop Spoken There

Dominick "Domo" Branch: ''Most people say drummers can't write, they're just time-keepers only beating on things. But I have a very musical brain.'' (DownBeat February, 2026)

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

18288 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 142 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Feb. 14), 42

From This Moment On ...

February

Fri 20: Alex Clarke w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT! Clarke w. Dean Stockdale, Mick Shoulder, Abbie Finn.
Fri 20: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 20: Squabble @ Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7:00pm. Steve Chambers (organ); Jude Murphy (double bass, vocals); Sid White (drums).
Fri 20: Jive Aces @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:00pm (6:30pm doors).
Fri 20: Alex Clarke w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Clarke w. Dean Stockdale, Mick Shoulder, Abbie Finn.

Sat 21: ???

Sun 22: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 22: Joe Steels Group @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. A Blue Patch album tour.
Sun 22: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Harben Kay Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 23: Joe Steels Group @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. A Blue Patch album tour.
Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 24: Finn-Keeble Group @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00.
Tue 24: Liam Oliver & Shayo Oshodi @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

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: Geordie Jazz Jam @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Newcastle University jam session. All welcome.
Wed 25: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 26: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £6.50.
Thu 26: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00 adv.
Thu 26: Mick Cantwell Band @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Blues.

Fri 27: Joe Steels Group @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT! A Blue Patch album tour.
Fri 27: Alan Barnes w. Mick Shoulder Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. Trio: Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
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: Radio Hito + Eddie Prévost, Silvain Schmid & Tom Wheatley @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £12.22., £10.10., £8.00.
Fri 27: Giacomo Smith w Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.
Fri 27: Alan Barnes w. Mick Shoulder Trio @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £15.00. Trio: Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).

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, October 21, 2019

Jazz in the Afternoon @ Cullercoats Crescent Club - October 21


It's a Sin to Tell a Lie, so said Herbie Hudson as he ushered in this week's Jazz in the Afternoon session. Sitters-in were in early waiting to be called, not least Doris Fenn and Brian Lynham. Ain't Misbehavin' sang HH before the first of them, Mr Lynham, harp in hand, sang Sonny Boy's Mighty Long Time to Dave Percy's bass accompaniment. Messrs Brian Chester and Ollie Rillands joined the party on an instrumental Stormy Weather. Lynham would return later in the afternoon.

HH shimmied like his sister - what's her name? - before paddling lazily up a river to rendezvous with a certain Sweet Georgia Brown. Right, time for Mr J Broddle. From Sweet Georgia Brown to a swinging Sweet Sue JB charmed the birds from on high. 

Interval - a trip to the bar for a second pint of Toon Broon (Blaydon's Firebrick Brewery). Raffle tickets at the ready...


Stalwart Teresa Armstrong put in an appearance ahead of her mid-week film premiere engagement. Sammy Fain's That Old Feeling, a measured Red Sails in the Sunset and a jaunty Ces't Magnifique were TA's three tunes this week. She'll be back next week regaling all and sundry about her red carpet adventure. 

Miles 'Indiana' Watson sang and bugled The Birth of the Blues with D Fenn to his left knocking out the chords ably supported by the house band of Hudson, Brian Chester, keyboards, Dave Percy, bass and the old rock 'n' roller himself, Ollie Rillands, drums. Bye Bye Blackbird heard more from Watson with a Fenn solo thrown in for good measure. 

And so he returned - Mr No Time For Jive, Brian Lynham - on the last train to Cullercoats. Pistons turning, stoker Lynham worked up a sweat before putting in a shift with Watson down at St James' Infirmary. Ah, wait...that's an inspired B Chester cranking it up a la Alan Price at the B3! 

As three o'clock approached drummer Rillands squeezed in his not-to-be-missed 'quiff and drapes' medley. He had the band's many veteran followers up doing their thing...after a while they sat back down, jiggered. And that was just about it. Herbie Hudson thanked one and all, see you next time. 
Russell
Herbie Hudson (trombone, harmonica, vocals); Brian Chester (keyboards); Dave Percy (bass); Ollie Rillands (drums, vocals) + Brian Lynham (harmonica, vocals); John Broddle (vocals); Teresa Armstrong (vocals); Miles Watson (trumpet, vocals); Doris Fenn (banjo)

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