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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

Friday, December 20, 2019

Classic Swing @ Jesmond British Legion - Dec 20

Tommy Moran (tenor sax); Jim McBriarty (alto sax, soprano sax, clarinet); Kieran Parnaby (trombone); Norman Brown (piano); Alan Rudd (double bass); Tommy Graham (drums); Olive Rudd (vocals)
(Review by Russell)

it's almost Christmas, isn't it? Things tend to be a bit rushed, don’t they? And, of course, every jazz gig during December seems to be an excuse for a party and/or buffet with a few beers. All this is a preamble to your reviewer confessing he forgot to take photographs at today's Classic Swing gig! 

Five days before Christmas, the Metro system shutdown, would anyone turn out for Classic Swing's seasonal knees up? They certainly did, what's more, raffle prizes galore and a buffet weren't to be sniffed at. Two deps in today - pianist Norman Brown and, on loan from the Strictly Smokin', trombonist Kieran Parnaby. 

A Tommy Moran composition to begin with - Jump for Jim - in typical small group swing style. A good start. Band vocalist Olive Rudd managed to organise the buffet and accept donations to the raffle in between singing a few numbers, the first of which, a seasonal Winter Wonderland, featured solos from Jim McBriarty, clarinet, Kieran Parnaby and Moran blowing tenor. Johnny Hodges' territory on Good Queen Bess heard a rare thing...a bass solo from Alan Rudd! 

McBriarty sang about a Honeysuckle Rose with a fine piano solo from veteran Norman Brown. Olive Rudd returned to the stand to insist It's a Sin to Tell a Lie with McBriarty on soprano sax and Brown quoting White Christmas just as regular band pianist Colin Haikney dropped by - it was good to see Colin out and about. 

At this time of year raffles tend to yield a bumper crop and here at Jesmond Legion no fewer than nine prizes were up for grabs. Your reviewer spied a box of Milk Tray. First number out the hat - no.856...YES!!! Your reviewer bagged the Milk Tray! Another pint of Old Speckled Hen to celebrate.

Second set: A first outing for Moran's The Master's Magic couldn't have been more apposite with Colin Haikney sitting listening. Clarinet, alto, trombone, tenor, piano, bass - all took a few bars, Mr Haikney nodded in appreciation. 

Rockin' Round the Christmas Tree tempted Olive Rudd back to the stage (pianist Brown couldn't resist quoting Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer) and before long the three o'clock finish loomed with, somewhat inevitably, our vocalist encouraging the room to sing along to White Christmas

Please note - Classic Swing won't be at the Ship Inn on Christmas Eve nor New Year's Eve. Your next chance to hear the band will be on Friday 17 January at Jesmond Legion, from which date the West Jesmond residency will be a third Friday in the month affair.  Russell

1 comment :

Lance said...

Ken, Ken Drew, where are you now, now that we need you?!

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