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Bebop Spoken There

Van Morrison: ''Basically, I'm coming from jazz. Not pop, not rock, not what's commercial. That's where I started, and that's still where I am. I feel the same as I did when I was listening to Louis Armstrong, Lead Belly, Jelly Roll Morton''. (The Northern Echo, 12 June 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

18037 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 458 of them this year alone and, so far, 36 this month (June 11).

From This Moment On ...

JUNE 2025

Wed 18: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 18: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:30pm. Free. Concert performance (open to the public)..
Wed 18: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 19: Gareth John & the SOS Big Band @ The Forum Music Centre, Darlington. 7:00pm. £25.00. CANCELLED!

Fri 20: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 20: David Gray's Flextet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 20: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. £21.50. ‘Time After Time’.
Fri 20: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm.
Fri 20: King Bees @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. Superb Chicago blues band.

Sat 21: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 21: Red Kites Jazz @ Staithes Café, Dunston. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Sat 21: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 22: Phoenix 4 @ Wallington, Northumberland. 12 noon-1:00pm & 2:00-3:00pm. Tel: 01670 773606. National Trust admission prices apply. ‘Tunes in the Blooms’.
Sun 22: Lapwing Trio @ Wallington, Northumberland. 1:00-2:00pm. Tel: 01670 773606. National Trust admission prices apply. ‘Tunes in the Blooms’.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Jason Isaacs Trio @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 4:00pm. £18.00. + £1.08 bf.
Sun 22: JazzMain @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 23: MSK Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance.
Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club (1:00pm). Free.

Tues 24: ???

Wed 25: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 25: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 25: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 25: The Magpies of Swing @ The Roxy, Leadgate, Co. Durham. 7:30pm. A Ginger Jitterbugs swing dance event, all welcome.

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

Sunday, April 26, 2020

Josh talks and plays 1920s' percussion - April 25/26

Midnight Saturday in the BSH Tyneside heartland, 18:00 CDT in Iowa, USA. Drummer Josh Duffee was in lockdown, just like the rest of us, as he extended an invitation to join him, virtually, of course,  at his Davenport home. This evening Josh was to present 1920s' Percussion - The Hot Orchestral Instruments.

To call our host an 'enthusiast' and an 'authority' doesn't tell half the story. A collector of vintage percussion instruments, historian, researcher, tutor, performer (small jazz combo to symphony orchestra engagements and everything in between), Duffee lives and breathes percussion. 

From the comfort of his home, and with the invaluable assistance of wife Crystal and son Chauncey, Josh Duffee once again lived the dream talking drums, playing drums (demonstrating the art of 'dropping bombs'), recounting stories, just as we did seven days earlier, we were watching a kid let loose in a sweet shop (candy store). Bass drum, toms (including a Chinese tom-tom which belonged to the late Mike Durham, director of the Whitley Bay Jazz Festival, now known as the Classic Jazz Party), timpani, wood blocks, bock-a-da-bocks, a rare case vibraphone (Josh owns one!), cymbals this, cymbals that (drummers - have you got a 'Billy Gladstone' in your armoury?), pitch chimes etc. 

The masterclass' first musical illustration - Ellington's Ring Dem Bells - saw Josh attempting to cover the parts of Sonny Greer and Charlie Barnet, pitch chimes et al. It sounded fine to the untutored ear yet our host confessed he was mortified that he hit one wrong chiming note! Profuse apologies were offered to the extent that Josh suggested he'd perhaps play it again at the end of the one hour show and do his darndest to get it right! 

Much reverential name-checking of drummers - Greer, Barnet, Vic Berton, Chauncey Morehouse, Chick Webb and an excruciating story of Josh losing - and saving - a tooth in pursuit of his art! Red Nichols' Harlem Twist (Chauncey Morehouse), Zutty Singleton on Fireworks (Armstrong's Hot Fives), Josh dazzled with his finger-tips' command of twenties' percussion developments. Online comment came thick and fast as musicians and non-musicians either side of the Atlantic let Josh know they were diggin' it. Our multi-tasking host glanced at his cellphone...Ah, great! Yeah, lots of folks watching, that's great! Any questions, just let me know and I'll be happy to answer them!  It was gone one in the morning here in Britain as Josh began to wind-up. In common with musicians around the world Josh's performance income has dried up, if you so choose, you can make a financial contribution (however great or small) to help our man from Davenport get by in these unprecedented times (see photo). It had been an education, click on the link to see Josh Duffee in action.   
Russell  

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