Bebop Spoken There

Christian McBride: ''We knew back in the day that Emmet [Cohen] had it.'' (DownBeat July, 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

18721 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 585 of them this year alone and, so far this month (July 18) 49

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

July

Sat 25: Sing Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00-5:00pm. £27.50. Tutor: Alexia Gardner. Cheek to Cheek - Ella Fitgerald. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 25: Red Kites Jazz @ Costa Café (within Next), MetroCentre, Gateshead. 2:00-3:00pm. Free.

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 26: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 26: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free. CANCELLED!
Sun 26: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Bright Street Big Band @ Sandhaven Amphitheatre, South Shields. 3.30-5.30pm.
Sun 26: Jo Harrop & Jamie McCredie @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00.
Sun 26: King Bees @ Luckies, Jesmond, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. Chicago blues.

Mon 27: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 28: Liam & Shayo @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free. Liam Oliver (guitar), Shayo Oshodi (vocals).

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 29: Abbie Finn Trio @ Music Dept., Durham University. 9:15pm. A Durham Fringe Festival event

Thu 30: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 30: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £6.50.
Thu 30: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes. .

Fri 31: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 31: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 31: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 31: Red Kites Jazz @ Land of Oak & Iron, Winlaton. 6:00-9:00pm. Free.
Fri 31: Milne Glendinning Band @ Repas 7 by Night, Berwick. 8:00-9:00pm. £6.00. A Berwick Fringe Festival event. £6.00 (£6.00 wristband access to all Fringe events).

Tuesday, April 14, 2020

CD Review: Damian Cook Quintet - You What?

Damian Cook (alto sax); Dave Boraston (trumpet/flugel); Graeme Taylor (piano); Joe Limburn (bass); Ted Carrasco (drums)
(Review by Lance).

This is a rocking band - and I mean rocking without the roll - what in the thirties we might have described as a jump band and what, in later years, under the direction of Bruce Turner, was indeed described in the aforementioned terms. Put simply, it rocks, it swings, it jumps. It's mainstream verging on bebop and it not only gets your feet tapping but your heart beat finds a good, albeit worrying, groove too!

Eight original tracks composed and arranged by Damian Cook who blows terrific alto. To quote Ira Gitler from an earlier review, "If Junior Cook were to legally pluralize his last name, it would read like the baldest statement of fact". Substitute Damian for Junior and it's still relevant.

There's also some tasty trumpet/flugel from Dave Boraston who is a bit of a discovery for me although, as we have 69 mutual friends on Facebook including Jo Harrop, Enrico, Alan Barnes, Simon Spillett, Chris Hibbard, Chris Hodgkins and 63 others, I feel I should be sending him Christmas cards. Check him out next time you're down south.

No need to ride the rods down to Kings Cross to catch Damian he's in pantomine at the Theatre Royal this year - oh yes he is - and, just as he has done in previous years, will be having a blow at The Globe and maybe sitting in at a jam or two. He's the real deal.

What am I saying? The whole band is very much the real deal. The rhythm section could be straight out of Harlem, via Chicago and Kansas City.

The CD just arrived this morning but no way was I going to allow it to disinfect in the hallway for even an hour. It only took one track before it was shuffled to the front of the queue.

Terrific!
Lance.

Rope, Garden, Golf...; Dry Roasted; Wakened Jazz Yelp; Down and Up; Julian and Nat; Church It Guys!; Down; Dimished Responsibility.

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