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

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