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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, April 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

17921 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 242 of them this year alone and, so far, 89 this month (March 31).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Mon 31: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

APRIL 2025

Tue 01: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Mark Robertson.
Tue 01: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, North St., Ferryhill DL17 8HX. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 02: Lauren Bush: The Jazz Singer’s Toolkit @ The Pele, Corbridge. 1:00-4:00pm. Vocalist Lauren Bush with pianist Jamil Sheriff presents a jazz singing workshop. £40.00. (inc. evening concert, see below). Registration required for workshop: www.laurenbushjazz.com. All ability levels welcome.
Wed 02: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 02: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 2:30-4:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Wed 02: Lauren Bush & Jamil Sheriff @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00-9:00pm. £10.00. Concert performance. Tickets: www.laurenbushjazz.com.
Wed 02: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 02: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE! See website for updates: www.theglobenewcastle.bar.

Thu 03: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Women in Jazz.
Thu 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 03: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. A Tees Hot Club promotion. First Thursday in the month.

Fri 04: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 04: Ruth Lambert Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Fri 04: Tom McGuire & the Brassholes @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00.
Fri 04: Nicolas Meier’s Infinity Group + Spirit of Jeff Beck @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm.

Sat 05: Tenement Jazz Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 05: Sleep Suppressor @ Head of Steam, Newcastle. 5:30-6:00pm.
Sat 05: King Bees @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Raymond MacDonald & Jer Reid @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 6:00-9:30pm. £7.72., £1.00. (minimum donation). MacDonald & Reid + Objections + Yotuns.
Sat 05: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Kamasi Washington @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £33.00.
Sat 05: Vermont Big Band @ The Seahorse, Whitley Bay. 7:30pm. Tickets: £10.00 (from the venue).
Sat 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 06: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 06: Learning & Participation Showcase @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm (1:00pm doors). Free. Featuring participants from Play More Jazz! Play More Folk! Blue Jam Singers & more.
Sun 06: Joe Steels Group @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Ferg Kilsby, Joe Steels, Ben Lawrence, Paul Susans, John Hirst.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Hooch, Quayside, Newcastle. 6:00pm.
Sun 06: Leeway @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

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, January 06, 2020

Glenn Miller Orchestra UK @ Sage Gateshead - Jan 5

(Review by Russell)

Sage One's level one stalls and level two seats were sold out as Ray McVay's orchestra took to the stage at fifteen hundred hours. A well-drilled unit, the personnel, set list and choreography much the same as on previous sorties. Miller in civvies, Miller in AAF uniform, this afternoon performance would stir memories for many in the audience.

Hello Gateshead! We were off to a good start, veteran bandleader Ray McVay remembered where he was. In the Mood to Flying Home to vocalist Mark Porter's opening contribution - The Nearness of You - the UK Miller band was well and truly airborne. Pennsylvania 6500 required audience participation. Pennsylvania, six, five thousand couldn't be that difficult, could it? Oh, yes it could! Half the audience missed its cue, the other half managed a barely audible effort. The band stopped playing, disgusted with this Gateshead effort. So disgusted the band walked off stage - quite right, too! McVay stood there, all alone. Come on guys, come back! Our bandleader joked the boys in the band were off to the bar. Reluctantly they returned to the stage. Let's try again...Pennsylvania, six, five thousand. That's better! It was, of course, a well-rehearsed joke and everyone played along. Aye, those were the days! 

Leeds College of Music graduate Catherine Sykes joined the boys to sing As Time Goes By - now yer talkin'! Bogart, Bergman and Dooley Wilson. Bogie won the war, you know? Single handed...Time for the Swing Time Jivers to jump-jive on Hot Toddy. McVay said he remembered when he could do that. Aye, those were the days! These days McVay took every opportunity to sit down and take a breather. 

Simon Meredith stepped out of the reeds to play a surprise soprano sax feature - My Funny Valentine proved to be one of the highlights of the afternoon. Drummer Bobby Cleall upped the tempo on Sing, Sing, Sing to close an enjoyable first set. Twenty minutes break, no more, any slackers would be put on jankers peeling spuds.

During the interval binoculars were trained on Sage Gateshead's bustling concourse looking out for bona fide jazzers. One solitary figure was spotted as a Tyneside jazz scene regular - the Tottenham Hotspur supporter shall remain nameless. A carrier pigeon was despatched to inform BSH High Command of the spotter's findings. 

Upon resumption of hostilities Tommy Dorsey made a brief appearance with a cracking take on Opus One. Our vocalists, now in military fatigues, returned to the front keen to do their bit for the war effort. A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square crooned Porter, All of Me sang Sykes. Ms Sykes stayed on, above and beyond the call of duty, to sing Lullaby of Broadway. Excellent, take a bow.

Ray Wordsworth has been round the block a few times. Singing Minnie the Moocher held few fears for the classy trombonist. Perhaps his effort emboldened trumpeter Danny Hammerton as he stood in the spotlight to reprise Harry James' chart-topping recording of You Made Me Love You. Excellent, award the man a medal!

When Ray McVay introduces Mark Porter's Sinatra medley (unfortunately it didn't feature Sinatra's Columbia/Capitol years) you know the war, sorry, concert, is coming to an end.  The Swing Time Jivers returned one more time for an energetic workout on Running Wild. McVay looked exhausted and he was simply watching the jiving foursome. The Moonlight Serenaders serenaded Sage Gateshead's nostalgia-fuelled audience with a beautifully paced Chattanooga Choo Choo with McVay choosing to play Joy to the World as an encore, perhaps forgetting Christmas had been and gone. One final number, as always with the Glenn Miller Orchestra, 'til the next time - Adios.     
Russell  

Glenn Miller Orchestra UK: Ray McVay (MD); Mark Porter (vocals); Catherine Sykes (vocals); Andy Potts, Simon Meredith, Martin Dunsdon, Dan Faulkner, Loren Hignell (reeds); Dave Ford, Alan Berlyn, Danny Hammerton, John Hinch (trumpets); Dale Gibson Jnr., Ray Wordsworth, Bruce Douglas, Keith Hutton (trombones); Bunny Thompson (piano); Paul Scott (double bass); Bobby Cleall (drums)

Uptown Hall Gang: Simon Meredith (clarinet); Alan Berlyn (trumpet); Ray Wordsworth (trombone); Bunny Thompson (piano); Paul Scott (double bass); Bobby Cleall (drums)

Moonlight Serenaders: Ray Wordsworth, Catherine Sykes, Alan Berlyn, Dan Faulkner

Swing Time Jivers: Jemma Gould, Vanessa Mayfield, Shangomula Edunjobi, ?

3 comments :

Lance said...

Looking at the photo, don't these guys know about the blackout?

Liz said...

Great review, sounded like a wonderful nostalgic show, you are so fortunate to have the Sage. Thanks Russell

Brian shine said...


As a tyneside jazz regular who supports Tottenham Hotspur I enjoyed the Glenn Miller concert, I like your joke about being spotted on the concourse at the interval, unless there is more than one Tottenham Hotspur supporter I was at the bar, just for the record the Middlesborough goal was offside, no VAR!

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