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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

18018 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 339 of them this year alone and, so far, 17 this month (May 7).

From This Moment On ...

MAY 2025

Thu 15: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: The Greatest in Jazz - Guitarists.
Thu 15: Pete Tanton & the Cuban Heels @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 15: New Ways of Moving in the Counterworlds @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). John Garner & John Pope.

Fri 16: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 16: Sophie Speed with the Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 16: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 16: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 16: Giles Strong Quartet @ Longframlington Memorial Hall. 7:00pm (doors). Tickets: £12.00. from 01665 570984.
Fri 16: Hot Club du Nord @ St Cuthbert’s Centre, Crook. 7:30pm. £10.00.
Fri 16: Peter Donegan & Anthony Donegan @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 7:30pm. ‘Lonnie Donegan - The Stories’.

Sat 17: Teresa Watson Band @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Blues.
Sat 17: The Society Quartet @ Hilton Garden Inn, Sunderland. 6:00pm. Tel: 0191 500 9494. £26.00 (inc. two course meal). Line-up: Jason Holcomb, Hannah Taylor, Alix Shepherd & Abbie Finn.
Sat 17: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 17: Archie Brown & the Young Bucks @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Rhythm & blues, Americana etc.
Sat 17: Rockin’ Turner Brothers @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Rockabilly, Western swing etc.

Sun 18: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 12 noon-2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 18: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 18: Ruth Lambert & Giles Strong @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 18: Steve Summers Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 19: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 19: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 20: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, Bailey Rudd.
Tue 20: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Pleased to Meet You, Bridge St., Morpeth NE61 1ND. 8:00pm.

Wed 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 21: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 21: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. 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

Monday, October 21, 2019

The Darlington Big Band @ Dorman's Jazz Club Middlesbrough - October 17

(Review by Ron H)

18 top class musicians with a wealth of experience and led by tenor saxophonist Richie Emmerson played a wonderful selection of big band jazz standards to a packed and attentive audience making for a highly successful night.

A fine intro by Ted Pearce on keys and Alan Smith on bass  was made to a swinging Sammy Nestico arrangement of  Straight Ahead from the Basie album of the same name.

This was followed by Fun Time  from the same album setting the standard for the night.

After Alberto Dominguez's Frenesi, the beautiful ballad Laura, arranged by Lennie Niehaus for the Stan Kenton band, included a lovely trumpet solo by Bill Watson with all four muted trumpets then joining in.

So It May Secretly Begin, a Pat Metheny number arranged  by Bob Curnow, naturally included a very fine guitar solo from Eddie Maughan. A swinging Take the A Train arranged by Mark Taylor followed.

The theme from Taxi Driver featured  Ray Dales on alto sax whilst there were  nice trumpet and tenor solos from Kevin Eland and Richie Emmerson in Speak Low - an arrangement of this Kurt Weill/Ogden Nash tune by Bill Holman.

The first set was finished in fine style with Sammy Nestico's up tempo arrangement of Pressure Cooker featuring John Brett on tenor.

A great arrangement by John Clayton of Max, a very complex number by Jeff Hamilton, was well played with solos from Richie Emmerson tenor, Alan Thompson alto and Kevin Eland trumpet.

An up tempo version of Tenderly with fine trumpet solo from Bill Watson and then in complete contrast the beautiful ballad When I Fall In Love arranged by Alan Baylock played by the whole band without solos.

For Stan Kenton fans the band played Eager Beaver featuring John Brett on tenor.

A particular favourite of mine played next  was Benny Golson's I Remember Clifford featuring Bill Watson on flugel.

A fine Bill Holman big band arrangement of the jazz standard After You've Gone with a nice solo from Neville Hartley on trombone.

A beautiful number What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life by Legrand and Berryman featured Richie on tenor.

After Slaughter On 10th Ave. was played as a final number, an encore was demanded and this was a beautiful version of Cole Porter's Love For Sale again arranged by Nestico.

It was most impressive to see and hear this band play these sophisticated arrangements and I must apologise for not giving credit to more of the band members as all were capable of fine solo work.

I think that the full capacity and enthusiastic audience brought out the best in the band along with Richie both as a leader soloist and in between numbers an entertaining raconteur.

With many thanks to Dormans Club for their help and support in running the night.
Ron H.

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