Bebop Spoken There

Ludovic Beier (Django Festival Allstars): ''Manouche means 'free man,' and gypsies have been travelers since they migrated west from India to Europe.'' (DownBeat March, 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

18383 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 247 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Mar. 17 ), 57

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

March

Mon 30: Gerry Richardson Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 30: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 31: Bede Trio @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Albert Hills Wright (alto sax); Finn Carter (piano); Michael Dunlop (double bass).

April

Wed 01: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 01: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 01: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 02: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: Musicians playing classical & orchestral music.
Thu 02: The Noel Dennis Band @ Prohibition Bar, Albert Road, Middlesbrough TS1 2RU. 7:00pm (doors). £10.84. Quartet plus special guest Zoë Gilby. Over 21s only.
Thu 02: Renegade Brass Band @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 02: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00. adv..
Thu 02: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Thursday, August 20, 2020

Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone - August 20

Jim McBriarty (clarinet, soprano sax, vocals); Lawrence McBriarty (trombone); Brian Bennett (banjo, guitar); Bill Colledge (bass guitar); Fred Thompson (drums, vocals) + John Broddle (vocals)

No Ray Harley this week so the McBriartys stepped up supported by MC Brian Bennett, banjo, guitar, Bill Colledge, bass guitar and sweet singing drummer Fred Thompson. The Vieux Carré Jazzmen's weekly residency is well and truly up and running (week three) and with the weather set fair it was nice to have the option to play indoors or out. Outdoors it was with straw boaters, porkpies and other head gear in evidence.

You Meet the Nicest People in Your Dreams sang Fred Thompson with Jim McBriarty on soprano saxophone. We were under way. Toting clarinet McBriarty sang I've Got the World on a String before handing over once again to FT to sing Ballin' the Jack. Mr Bennett called a slow blues...WC Handy's Hesitation Blues with Lawrence McBriarty plungering and brother Jim blowing soprano. It was warm in the Holystone's beer garden, another pint of Wainwright's was called for...

Drummer FT sang another one, this time Frankie and Johnny. In no time the interval approached, time for Mr John Broddle to get up to sing a number. Crazy the selection, Mr B would return later. 

No raffle (Covid-aware are the VCJ), simply a couple of quid in the hat (straw boater). The Wainwright's had been seen off, the alternative, a pint of Deuchar's and, for a treat, a jacket potato. The Holystone's Covid-aware bar staff insisted on bringing the order to the sun-dappled table. Garçon! Peel me another grape!  

Second set: Angry. Was somebody upset? No, merely Jim McBriarty singing a favourite number of the late Fred Rowe. Jim's mild-mannered brother Lawrence thought about giving the 'bone a telling off but it wasn't quite his style! As in recent weeks Brian Bennett swapped banjo for guitar on just the one number, this time accompanying Mr McBriarty's Bechet-esque soprano sax feature on Petite Fleur. Three o'clock wasn't far off, time for Jim McB to give us his take on Whenever You're Lonesome with some clarinet into the bargain. Time to go, a quick one, with John Broddle joining the Vieux Carré one last time. Roses of Picardy sang JB. Same time next week (1:00pm) - indoors, outdoors, let's see what the weather brings.   
Russell

1 comment :

Brian Bennett said...

Irlane Davison on Facebook said - “Enjoyed yesterday afternoon. Good weather, good food and an excellent selection of music. Great. Thanks guys. x”

Blog Archive