Bebop Spoken There

Jools Holland (on his 2026 spring/summer tour): ''With the mighty [R&B] Orchestra, our wonderful boogie woogie singers, and the brilliant Joe Webb opening the shows [including Darlington Hippodrome, June 19], we're in for some very special evenings of music.'' The Northern Echo February 5, 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

18263 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 117 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Feb. 6), 17

From This Moment On ...

February

Sat 07: The Big Easy @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 07: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30-3:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 07: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. St Thomas & Bésame Mucho. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 07: Side Cafe Oᴙkestar @ Café Under the Spire, Gateshead. 6:30pm. Table reservations: 0191 477 3970.
Sat 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 08: Swing Tyne @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12 noon (doors). Donations. Swing dance taster class (12:30pm) + Hot Club de Heaton (live performance). Non dancers welcome.
Sun 08: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 09: Mark Williams Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 09: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 10: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 11: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington.. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 11: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 12: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 13: Noel Dennis Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm . £9.00. Dennis (trumpet, flugelhorn); Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 13: Joe Steels @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 13: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm.
Fri 13: Tom Remon & John Moriarty @ The Ship Isis, Silksworth Row, Sunderland SR1 3QJ. 7:00pm. £10.00 + £1.00 bf.

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

Wednesday, March 04, 2020

Pasadena Roof Orchestra (second set) @ Whitley Bay Playhouse - March 1

(By Russell)

As the results were announced at the end of a long day of competitive action at the Great North Big Band Jazz Festival in Chester le Street a mad dash to Whitley Bay meant the Pasadena Roof Orchestra's first set at the Playhouse had been and gone. Arriving in the nick of time to take a seat in the auditorium as the lights went down for the second thoughts - and ears - turned from big band jazz to Cotton Club-era hot jazz.

White tie and tails, the Pasadenas' frontman Duncan Galloway strolled on to stage as the band played High Society. The boys in the band appeared to be well oiled - musically, what else?! Galloway didn't try too hard to look like Gary Cooper as he sang Puttin' on the Ritz...super duper. 

Gershwin's Change Partners, Dinah, Galloway on and off stage, the Pasadenas' ace line-up certainly got the chance to play - Robert Fowler impressed, likewise reeds partner Oliver Wilby. The engine room boys were in cruise mode - Spats Langham appeared to be having a ball, mainly on guitar with a little banjo (virtuosic on each instrument) sitting alongside the PRO's new boy, percussionist Jack Amblin*     

Two highlights - Fletcher Henderson's hotter than hot Business in F and Cotton Club Ellington's East St Louis Toodle-oo. Tremendous, well worth the dash from County Durham to North Tyneside! The Original Dixieland Jass Band (Galloway keen to emphasise 'Jass') guaranteed a frenetic finale on Tiger Rag and as an encore Galloway and the Pasadena Roof Orchestra went out on She's a Latin from Manhattan and, of course, (Home in) Pasadena.   

* Jack Ambin can be heard again with Martyn Roper at the Punch Bowl Hotel in Jesmond, Newcastle on May 13 when they play a duo gig as the Washboard Resonators. 
Russell

Duncan Galloway (vocals); Malcolm Baxter (trumpet); Robert Fowler (alto sax, tenor sax, clarinet); Oliver Wilby (tenor sax, clarinet); Dai Pritchard (alto sax, clarinet); Nick Mills (trombone, sousaphone); Simon Townley (piano); Tom 'Spats' Langham (guitar, banjo); Jack Amblin (drums, washboard) 
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