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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, April 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

17923 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 244 of them this year alone and, so far, 91 this month (March 31).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Tue 01: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Mark Robertson.
Tue 01: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, North St., Ferryhill DL17 8HX. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 02: Lauren Bush: The Jazz Singer’s Toolkit @ The Pele, Corbridge. 1:00-4:00pm. Vocalist Lauren Bush with pianist Jamil Sheriff presents a jazz singing workshop. £40.00. (inc. evening concert, see below). Registration required for workshop: www.laurenbushjazz.com. All ability levels welcome.
Wed 02: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 02: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 2:30-4:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Wed 02: Lauren Bush & Jamil Sheriff @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00-9:00pm. £10.00. Concert performance. Tickets: www.laurenbushjazz.com.
Wed 02: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 02: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE! See website for updates: www.theglobenewcastle.bar.

Thu 03: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Women in Jazz.
Thu 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 03: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. A Tees Hot Club promotion. First Thursday in the month.

Fri 04: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 04: Ruth Lambert Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Fri 04: Tom McGuire & the Brassholes @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00.
Fri 04: Nicolas Meier’s Infinity Group + Spirit of Jeff Beck @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm.

Sat 05: Tenement Jazz Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 05: Sleep Suppressor @ Head of Steam, Newcastle. 5:30-6:00pm.
Sat 05: King Bees @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Raymond MacDonald & Jer Reid @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 6:00-9:30pm. £7.72., £1.00. (minimum donation). MacDonald & Reid + Objections + Yotuns.
Sat 05: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Kamasi Washington @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £33.00.
Sat 05: Vermont Big Band @ The Seahorse, Whitley Bay. 7:30pm. Tickets: £10.00 (from the venue).
Sat 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 06: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 06: Learning & Participation Showcase @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm (1:00pm doors). Free. Featuring participants from Play More Jazz! Play More Folk! Blue Jam Singers & more.
Sun 06: Joe Steels Group @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Ferg Kilsby, Joe Steels, Ben Lawrence, Paul Susans, John Hirst.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Hooch, Quayside, Newcastle. 6:00pm.
Sun 06: Leeway @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 07: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

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 13, 2020

Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone - August 9

Ray Harley (trumpet); Jim McBriarty (clarinet, alto sax, vocals); Lawrence McBriarty (trombone); Brian Bennett (banjo, guitar); Bill Colledge (bass guitar); Fred Thompson (drums, vocals) + John Broddle (vocals); Herbie Hudson (trombone, harmonica, vocals)

What a contrast! Last week it was in the mid twenties, today the top temperature in Holystone must have been fully ten degrees lower. Taking the wind chill factor into account it was positively autumnal. Gone were the shorts and straw boaters as the band huddled together, in a socially distanced kind of way, under an awning which, a week ago, offered welcome relief from a burning sun, this afternoon it acted as a windbreaker.

Washington and Lee Swing opened proceedings as the faithful looked up at a leaden sky. Would the sun break through? Fat chance! A chilled pint of Guinness pointed up a failing of 'Covid-secure' table service. Anyone who knows anything about beer wouldn't ever order a chilled pint of Guinness or any other beer for that matter, but, the bar staff probably assumed this is what the customer would want (the handpull was unavailable). The prospect of sitting in a beer garden for a couple of hours or so in what seemed like sub-zero temperatures held little appeal. Band leader Brian Bennett suggested Jim McBriarty should sing Smiles. BB suggested the number was somehow appropriate...hmm.

We English are said to be stoical about the weather - we talk about it, we endure it. MC Bennett introduced Fred Thompson's first vocal number of the afternoon - Bring Me Sunshine. Very droll. The first of the afternoon's guests got up to join the band. If I Had You met with a chorus of 'bah, bah' but we weren't too distracted from John Broddle's vocals, they're always a delight. Fred Thompson closed the first set with Runnin' Wild. Perhaps we should have been running on the spot in an effort to keep warm!

The interval; no raffle (Covid-secure are the VCJ), instead, the hat was passed round. A handpull was on. Hooray! That'll be a pint of London Pride. Minutes later...sorry, the London Pride isn't on, the Deuchars is on. A pint of (non-chilled) Deuchars it was. 

Jim McBriarty kicked off the second set singing My Honey's Lovin' Arms playing clarinet into the bargain. A togged-up Herbie Hudson joined the boys for a couple of numbers - Oh, Lady Be Good! (trombone and harmonica) with FT taking the vocal, and a sprightly Sweet Georgia Brown (HH's harmonica and vocal). Main man 'bone man McBriarty L returned to the stage to see out the set; East of the Sun (and West of the Moon) with Mr Bennett swapping banjo for guitar as McBriarty J played some languid clarinet (one of the day's highlights). Ray Harley, playing top-notch trumpet, lead the Vieux Carré's frontline, just as he did last week. RH's work on Darktown Strutters' Ball  proved to be particularly impressive. Rose Room then the 'outer' as Mr B likes to call it, this week with Mr Broddle returning to send us on our way with a spirited take on Avalon.   
Russell 

1 comment :

Brian Bennett said...

Let’s give credit where credit is due to the audience, bar staff and band members who enabled this OUTDOORS gig to take place on what was a challenging day weather-wise. Well done one and all!

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