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

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. CANCELLED!
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.

Fri 24: Noel Dennis Trio @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. Dennis, Mark Willams, Andy Champion.
Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Trio Grand @ Land of Oak & Iron, Winlaton. 6:00-9:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: Ben Vince + The Exu @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £14.33., £11.16, £8.00. A ‘jazz adjacent’ gig!
Fri 24: Daniel John Martin w. Swing Manouche @ The Ship Isis, Sunderland. 7:30pm. £13.20 (inc. bf).
Fri 24: TBC @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm.

Sat 25: Giles Strong Quartet @ Hindmarsh Hall, Alnmouth. 7:30pm.
Sat 25: Daniel John Martin w. Swing Manouche @ The Old Cinema Launderette, Durham. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £13.20 (inc. bf).
Sat 25: ‘Portrait in Evans’: Noa Levy & Alan Barnes w. Paul Edis Trio @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £24.00. Sage Two. ‘Portrait in Evans’. Levy, Barnes, Edis, Andy Champion & Steve Hanley.

Thursday, February 27, 2020

Vieux Carre Jazzmen @ The Holystone, North Tyneside - Feb 27

(Review by Russell)

it was a beautiful blue sky day. At the Holystone pub the Vieux Carre Jazzmen remembered Dave Rae. The band's weekly residency opened with the spiritual Just a Little While to Stay Here, a number played countless times by Dave who sadly died a few days ago. 

As tradition has it, the show must go on and Brian Bennett and the lads continued with Jim McBriarty singing Jealousy. The VCJ's other band singer, Fred Thompson, sang an old favourite in Way Down Yonder in New Orleans. The five piece, all seated (they're getting on, you know!), came up with a wide variety of material including Jim McBriarty singing Willie Nelson's Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain (there was a marked similarity in vocal style with Ryan Baer of New Orleans based Frog and Henry). Drummer Thompson sang Alice Blue Gown then, in good old crooner fashion, East of the Sun (and West of the Moon)

An interval/start of the second set treat featured a cameo appearance by the Cheeky Girls - aka Lynne and Pat - singing (Won't You Come Home) Bill Bailey. The 'girls' should get themselves along to the Black Swan jam session! 

BSH is always keen to contribute to the jazz economy - two quid spent on raffle tickets - and, for once, won a bottle of white, thank you very much!

Mary Wore a Golden Chain paid further tribute to bandleader, banjoist/guitarist and vocalist Dave Rae. Fred Thompson reprised the Ink Spots' hit The GypsyDr Jazz ( a request) heard from Jim McBriarty, who, it should be said, played fine soprano sax and clarinet throughout the afternoon, and the other McBriarty, Lawrence, sat comfortably with a pint at hand blowing leisurely trombone. 

Crazy spotlighted the McBriartys, Jim on clarinet and vocals, Lawrence on 'bone and John Smith's. It was time to go but not before the Holystone's dancing chef emerged from the kitchen with a tub of ice cream. Guess the tune? Yes, Ice Cream! The Vieux Carre Jazzmen can be found at the Holystone pub every Thursday, one o'clock, free admission. 
Russell
               
Jim McBriarty (soprano sax, clarinet, vocals); Lawrence McBriarty (trombone); Brian Bennett (banjo); Bill Colledge (bass guitar); Fred Thompson (drums, vocals) + The Cheeky Girls: Lynne & Pat (vocals).

1 comment :

Brian Bennett said...

Jim’s vocal was in fact ‘JEALOUS’ a 1924 song by Tommie Malie & Dick Finch, music by ‘Little’ Jack Little, whereas ‘JEALOUSY’ is a tango tune recorded by Frankie Laine - Jim will probably sing it next week.

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