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Bebop Spoken There

Van Morrison: ''Basically, I'm coming from jazz. Not pop, not rock, not what's commercial. That's where I started, and that's still where I am. I feel the same as I did when I was listening to Louis Armstrong, Lead Belly, Jelly Roll Morton''. (The Northern Echo, 12 June 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

18037 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 458 of them this year alone and, so far, 36 this month (June 11).

From This Moment On ...

JUNE 2025

Wed 18: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 18: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:30pm. Free. Concert performance (open to the public)..
Wed 18: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 19: Gareth John & the SOS Big Band @ The Forum Music Centre, Darlington. 7:00pm. £25.00. CANCELLED!

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: David Gray's Flextet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 20: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. £21.50. ‘Time After Time’.
Fri 20: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm.
Fri 20: King Bees @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. Superb Chicago blues band.

Sat 21: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 21: Red Kites Jazz @ Staithes Café, Dunston. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Sat 21: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 22: Phoenix 4 @ Wallington, Northumberland. 12 noon-1:00pm & 2:00-3:00pm. Tel: 01670 773606. National Trust admission prices apply. ‘Tunes in the Blooms’.
Sun 22: Lapwing Trio @ Wallington, Northumberland. 1:00-2:00pm. Tel: 01670 773606. National Trust admission prices apply. ‘Tunes in the Blooms’.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Jason Isaacs Trio @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 4:00pm. £18.00. + £1.08 bf.
Sun 22: JazzMain @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 23: MSK Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance.
Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club (1:00pm). Free.

Tues 24: ???

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: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 25: The Magpies of Swing @ The Roxy, Leadgate, Co. Durham. 7:30pm. A Ginger Jitterbugs swing dance event, all welcome.

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

Friday, November 08, 2019

Mike Durham's Classic Jazz Party @ Village Hotel - Nov.2

Saturday afternoon - Nov.2
(Review by Russell/Photos courtesy of Jonathan Holmes and David De La Haye - link)

The Village Hotel's packed function room settled down for an afternoon of the niche, the obscure and the zany. A goofus, a bass saxophone, a violin, a washboard, a cigar box and a xylophone - your everyday selection of musical instruments one would expect to hear at a gig. Only at the Classic Jazz Party!

The Goofus Five set referenced the 'goofus'. The rarest of instruments wasn’t actually featured on stage, nevertheless set leader Mike Davis (trumpet) ensured the twenty first century's Adrian Rollini, aka David Horniblow, took centre stage grappling with the big beast bass saxophone. 

The versatile David Horniblow, making his CJP bow, picked up his clarinet to lead Clarinet Washboard Bands. To call this session 'hot' wouldn't do justice to a sizzling half hour. Jimmy O'Bryant's Washboard Band the inspiration, the inclusion of Nicholas Ball playing washboard almost stole the show. Later in the afternoon Ball would do just that.

Spats Langham knows his banjo players. At this year's CJP he turned the spotlight on The Unknown Harry Reser. The American, an acknowledged virtuoso, left a body of work documented on twenties' recording sessions through to prestigious NYC theatre engagements some four decades later. It was Reser's early years to which Langham turned, assisted by fellow string players Emma Fisk, violin, Martin Wheatley, banjo, guitar, and the elegant pianist Martin Litton

Claus Jacobi (pictured relaxing during a rehearsal session) is one of the key figures at the CJP. In addition to performing on stage the German reedsman works year round with others putting the programme together for the following year (Jacobi and co are already planning 2020's CJP!). Hear me talkin' to ya made good use of Jacobi's transcriptions and arrangements of Don Redman's charts for Louis Armstrong's 'Savoy Ballroom Five' period. Enrico Tomasso - who else? - was on the session, as was American vocalist Joan Viskant

Duke Heitger presented 'music in the vein of the Sidney Bechet-Muggsy Spanier 'Big Four''. The American trumpeter formed an alliance with three superb French musicians - Stéphane Gillot, reeds, Félix Hunot, guitar and string bass maestro Henry Lemaire - and wasted no time saying: We're gonna do a hot one. And 'hot' was the word as the quartet launched into That's a Plenty. This was superb ensemble work at an impossibly hot tempo. Sweet Lorraine took it down and, with time pressing, Heitger said they'd play a few hot choruses of China Boy. And boy, it was hot, hot, hot!

In a packed afternoon session Michael McQuaid, another influential behind-the-scenes figure, presented Washboard Rhythm Kings. The London based Aussie made no bones about it - little is known about the NYC musicians active in the thirties. A lack of biographical information didn't prevent McQuaid from producing a marvellous set which featured Nick Ball on washboard. Tiger Rag roared or, to be precise, Mr Ball literally roared and roared! Excellent!

To close an exhausting session Josh Duffee delegated drum duties to the redoubtable Nick Ward enabling the popular American to present Teddy Brown & his Cafe de Paris Band. Anything Duffee doesn't know about vibraphonist Teddy Brown isn't worth knowing. The extent of Duffee's research has landed him in prison - no word of a lie! If you're unfamiliar with the story you'll have to ask him about it at next year's Classic Jazz Party! 

Duffee stood on the floor in front of a stage full of fellow musicians to play xylophone just as Brown did in the Cafe de Paris circa 1927. Duffee's anecdotes painted a picture of his rotund (that's being kind, Brown weighed in at 400lbs!) subject. Musically spectacular, visually effective, Duffee's orchestra handled the exacting charts with aplomb, exemplified by Emma Fisk's fine violin playing on Ain't She Sweet? Duffee expressed his gratitude for being able to present the music of Teddy Brown here in the north east of England, saying back home in America performance opportunities are few and far. Song of Happiness brought to a close a fascinating set. More Teddy Brown next year? Don't bet against it.
Russell.                         

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