Bebop Spoken There

David Bailey (photographer): ''When I was 16 I wanted to look like Chet Baker. He was my idol - him and James Dean.'' (Talking Pictures documentary : Four beats to the bar and no cheating April, 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

18429 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 293 of them this year alone and, so far this month (April 13 ) 27,

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

From This Moment On

April

Fri 17: Russ Morgan Quartet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 17: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 17: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 17: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 17: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 17: Ben Crosland Quartet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. £12.96 (inc. bf) online; £15.00 on the door. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.

Sat 18: Bright Street Big Band @ Washington Arts Centre. 6:30pm. £12.00. Swing dance sessions + Bright Street Big Band 7:30-8:15pm & 8:45-9:30pm.
Sat 18: Glenn Miller & Big Band Spectacular @ The Phoenix Theatre, Blyth. 7:30pm. £27.00 (inc. bf).

Sun 19: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Trio + Lara Hopper.
Sun 19: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. £12.00., £10.00.
Sun 19: Straight to Tape @ The Tyne Bar, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Edd Carr, Jonathan Proud, John Hirst. Blues trio.
Sun 19: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 19: Graham Hardy’s Eclectic Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £7.00.

Mon 20: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 20: Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00. Stockdale, Mick Shoulder, Abbie Finn.

Tue 21: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Victoria & Albert Inn, Seaton Delaval NE25 0AT. Tel: 0191 237 3697. Tickets: £14.00. ‘Pie & Pea Lunch’.
Tue 21: Neil Cowley Trio @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm. £29.00., £26.00., £23.00.
Tue 21: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels (guitar); Paul Grainger (double bass); Jack Littlewood (drums).

Wed 22: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 22: Nubiyan Twist @ Digital, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £28.75 (inc. bf).
Wed 22: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 22: Daniel John Martin w. Swing Manouche @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 7:30pm. Date, time & admission TBC.
Wed 22: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 23: FILM: Big Mama Thornton: I Can’t Be Anyone But Me @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. 6:15pm. Dir. Robert Clem (2025).
Thu 23: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 23: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 23: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra & Musicians Unlimited @ ARC, Stockton. 8:00pm. £19.00. inc. bf.

Saturday, February 08, 2020

Preview: JNE present the Gaz Hughes Sextet playing the music of Art Blakey

(Preview by Lance)

There are gigs where, much as you look forward to them you feel the press release sums it all up and you leave it at that. Then there are others when you feel you want to put your own 10 cents into the mix. This gig is just such a one although a dime is hardly the currency I should use - a million dollars would be more appropriate!


The Jazz Messengers, arguably the greatest quintet/sextet of all time, and I'm not forgetting Miles, laid down the formula for modern jazz. They built upon the innovations of Bird and Diz, provided the launching pad for just about every great emerging jazz talent - Clifford Brown, Wayne Shorter, Freddie Hubbard, Hank Mobley, Lee Morgan, Benny Golson, Bobby Timmons and many more - many more indeed, except drummers that is! 

Blakey was as good as any ten drummers in fact, had he been that way inclined, he could have out-drummed the Regimental Band of the Scots Guard.

Fortunately he wasn't although the Messengers' version of Blues March provides the proof.

Sadly, Blakey and most of his Messengers are no longer with us but, this being his centennial year, he and his legacy are not forgotten.

Just as Tom Atkinson recently took it upon himself to sit on Ginger Baker's virtual drum stool, Gaz Hughes has done likewise with Blakey's bomb factory and the forthcoming concert at Gosforth Civic Theatre on Thursday Feb. 20 looks to be as close as we'll ever get to hearing the original band at Birdland (and with no minimum!)

A powerful UK line-up by a team who know Blakey's music backwards - Alan Barnes (alto); Bruce Adams (trumpet); Dean Masser (tenor); Andrzej Baranek (piano); Ed Harrison (bass) and Gaz Hughes (drums)

Even now, before I've heard a note and bearing mind it's only February, I know this is going to be in the shake up for "Gig of the Year"! Unmissable! If it isn't I'll eat my hat and yours too - with Marmite!

Gosforth Civic Theatre,
Regent Farm Rd.,
Gosforth,
Newcastle NE3 3HD.
Tel. 0191 284 3700.
Thursday Feb. 20.
8:00pm/Doors 7:30pm.
£12.00/£10.00 (concs).
Lance.

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