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

Sunday, November 01, 2020

Adrian Cox's Sunday Service Bechet Special from Toulouse Lautrec, London - Nov. 1

Adrian Cox (clarinet, vocals); Joe Webb (piano) 

Hot! Hot! Hot! These guys are great live and this afternoon's live stream came a close second to the 'real thing'. Cox, recently returned from a trip to Scandinavia, once again made good use of Toulouse Lautrec's piano with Joe Webb rattling the 88s. From Milenburg Joys to Si Tu Vois, Ma Mère, Cox proved, if proof were needed, that he is one of the clarinet greats of his generation. 
Cox and Webb ran headlong into Running Wild, the duo remarkably fluent, sheet music not required, they knew the number inside out. Cox sang, no mic, cupped hand hollerin' into the virtual void. Marvellous stuff. Today's subject - Sidney Bechet - recorded Kansas City Man Blues way back in 1923. Cox sure can play a mean blues, likewise his sparring partner Webb. The sheer enthusiasm Cox generates is infectious and both Webb and the online audience responded accordingly - pianist Webb at the top of his game, the eighty plus virtual contingent posting approving comments second-by-second.

Cox comes across as a canny bloke: casual, engaging, favouring enthusiasm over expertise when talking about Bechet's recording sessions, his contemporaries and well-documented European sojourn. Cue Claude Luter, Paris and Moulin à Café. Monty Sunshine tango-ing to Petite Fleur, a dedication to Adrian's sister produced a highlight - I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate with superb vocals - then another highlight (the Sunday Service is one big highlight) in the form of a scintillating That's a Plenty. 

Time for two more - Jazz Me Blues then, taking it down, and out, Si Tu Vois, Ma Mère. To coin a favourite Keith Nichols' phrase, 'tear arse' can be readily applied to Cox. The up tempo tune holds no fears and, when the occasion demands, balladry is well within his compass. Cox and Webb are great value, as and when they're out gigging again make a point of catching them, you won't be disappointed.        

Russell
       
Today's setlist: Milenberg Joys ; Running Wild; Kansas City Man Blues; Buddy Bolden Stomp; Moulin à Café; Petite Fleur; I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate; That's a Plenty; Jazz Me Blues; Si Tu Vois, Ma Mère   
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