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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

17904 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 225 of them this year alone and, so far, 72 this month (March 24).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Thu 27: Hannabiell & Midnight Blue @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 27: Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Superb blues duo.

Fri 28: Giles Strong Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00 SOLD OUT!.
Fri 28: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 28: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 28: Spilt Milk @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £8.00.
Fri 28: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Old Cinema Laundrette, Durham. 7:45pm.
Fri 28: Sue Ferris Quintet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £10.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 28: Mostly Moonlight @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Fri 28: Juliana Day & Manon McCoy @ Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00.; £10.00. advance. JNE.

Sat 29: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 29: Doris Day Story @ Phoenix Theatre, Blyth. 7:30pm.
Sat 29: Squabble! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 30: Jan Spencelayh & Dave Archbold @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 30: Jamil Sheriff Trio w. Nadim Teimoori @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 30: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 30: Jamil Sheriff Trio w. Nadim Teimoori @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 31: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

APRIL 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. POSSIBLE CANCELLATION. See website for updates: www.theglobenewcastle.bar.

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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