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

Sunday, August 02, 2020

Sunday Service: Adrian Cox & Simon Picton - New Orleans Tradition - August 2

Adrian Cox (clarinet, vocals); Simon Picton (banjo, guitar, vocals)

A Sunday Service with a difference. This week Adrian Cox went over to Twickenham to meet up with Simon Picton to play a duo set focussing on some of the great exponents of New Orleans' clarinet. As usual Adrian attracted a sizeable online audience and before the off comments scrolled up the screen at a rate of knots.

George Lewis, Emile Barnes and Raymond Burke were but three of Cox's subjects and Simon Picton expressed admiration for Danny Barker. Banjoist/guitarist Picton noted that Barker recorded with both Jelly Roll Morton and Charlie Parker, the only musician to do so. 


My Gal Sal and Listen to the Mockingbird were a representative sample of Lewis' work, the latter being a number associated with his time at Preservation Hall. Cox sang Tishomingo Blues (Picton, guitar) and in so doing gave a shout out to Barry Martyn and Cuff BillettPicton remained on guitar as our duo looked at Emile Barnes with Toot, Toot, Tootsie by way of illustration.  

Simon Picton's vocal number - Ham and Eggs - paid homage to Danny Barker, a man, said Picton, who knew and worked with everyone in New Orleans including Tuba Fats and Wynton Marsalis. Co-host Cox introduced Raymond Burke, suggesting he was a lesser known name when it comes to clarinet. Seemingly Burke, who used the Albert system, rarely left New Orleans, nevertheless he worked with an array of Crescent City musicians including a spell with Sweet Emma and the Preservation Hall guys. As Cox and Picton played Savoy Blues an on-screen comment read: I heard Raymond Burke with Sweet Emma at Presevation Hall in '81. This met with an instant reply from another listener/viewer: Lucky sod!

Spanish Tinge and Milenberg Joys rounded off another entertaining and informative hour with Adrian Cox, and, on this occasion, Simon Picton. The duo have been busy recording material and an album will surface at some point. Next week's Sunday Service will be somewhat different. From Gun Hill Studios in Sussex, Cox will be working with Denny Ilett, Ferg Ireland and Dave Newton. Sounds good, doesn't it?! One o'clock, August 9.  
Russell

No comments :

Blog Archive