Bebop Spoken There

Christian McBride: ''I believe we are living in a historically embarrassing moment in American history.'' - Downbeat December 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

18083 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 1047 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Dec. 14), 61.

From This Moment On ...

DECEMBER 2025

Sun 21: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. ‘Xmas Swingalong’. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 21: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00-5:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ o2 City Hall, Newcastle. 6:00pm. £35.80., £33.25., £31.00.
Sun 21: The Globe Xmas Party @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Live music.
Sun 21: Tweed River Jazz Band @ The Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:30pm. Free.

Mon 22: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 23: Paul Skerritt @ Chakh Dhoom, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Indian restaurant. Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Wed 24: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 24: Alexia Gardner @ The Townhouse, Bridge St., Morpeth. 1:30-4:30pm. ‘The A Capella Sessions’. Gardner, Paula Gardner, Alexia Hope Gardner Diamany.
Wed 24: Paul Skerritt @ Mambo Wine & Dine, South Shields. 1:30pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Thu 25: Alexia Gardner @ The Townhouse, Bridge St., Morpeth. 1:30-4:00pm. ‘All About the Bass Sessions’. Alexia Gardner, Paula Gardner, Jude Murphy.

Fri 26: ???

Sat 27: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. CANCELLED!
Sat 27: Leeds City Stompers @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free.

Sun 28: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 28: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 28: Paul Skerritt @ 3 Stories, High St. West, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 28: The Society Quartet @ Hilton Garden Inn, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Jason Holcomb & co.

Mon 29: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 30: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £8.00., £7.00. adv.

Wed 31: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 31: Lil Miss Mary & the Mr Rights Trio @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. ‘Early NYE Bash’. Rockabilly, rhythm & blues.
Wed 31: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. ‘Midnight in Manhattan’ NYE party. £49.46 (inc. bf) & £29.38 (inc. 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

Wednesday, September 02, 2020

Charlie Parker Stole my Bank Holiday Weekend!

This is not a review, but merely a few recommended links to highlight some Charlie Parker music around what was his 100th Birthday celebrations.

On Thursday, August 27, at Ronnie Scott’s, Gilad Atzmon led a quartet accompanied by strings, as a tribute to CP on what would have been his 100th Birthday (2 days early!). Many of the tunes played come from the album Charlie Parker with Strings and is a superb rendition of these, plus a few more besides.  A great performance despite the lockdown conditions. Link (music starts at  1:40)

On August 29 there was a live stream from the Ravello Festival with a great outdoor performance by some Italian peeps (sorry no info, the announcements are all in Italian) – a very much larger set-up than Gilad’s quartet + string quartet, but again based around ‘CP with Strings’.  Link.
  
The music starts at 4:40  and the first set is based on Charlie Parker with Strings.  Post interval has the quintet playing jazz & blues etc. then back into Charlie Parker with Strings. Finally, what looks like two encores - Summertime and (after further speeches) the final closer.  Quite a variety and quite a setting!   As an aside, I holidayed close to Ravello in 2005 and would recommend checking out the daytime views of this performance area on the Ravello Festival site – the backdrop is spectacular.

And there’s more … thanks to a little Google browsing I randomly found two interesting links: Firstly the studio recordings of ‘CP with Strings’. Link (for those who don’t own an LP or CD of this recording). And secondly some live sessions (half of which were recorded from the dressing room speakers – be warned!). Link in which CP plays in a large ensemble with for example Roy Haynes/Max Roach etc. Whilst the audio quality is just ‘acceptable’ it really is an interesting listen. The track lengths vary from 3½ mins  to 40+ mins.  The sound balance is pro-Parker (and pro-Harp too!) but his playing comes through in spades despite the poor audio quality.

Overall, this collection of URLs makes for an extended listening session – but it doesn’t have to take up a whole weekend – sample them at leisure!
Ken Drew
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