Bebop Spoken There

Emma Rawicz: "In a couple of years I've gone from being a normal university student to suddenly being on international stages." DownBeat January 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

18246 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 100 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 31), 100

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Wed 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 04: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 04: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 05: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject:Times of the Day & Trios.
Thu 05: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Special guest Emma Wilson.
Thu 05: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 06: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 06: Durham Alumni Big Band & Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn Theatre. 7:30pm. £12.00. Two big bands on stage together!
Fri 06: Nauta + Littlewood Trio @ Little Buildings, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Double bill + jam session.
Fri 06: FILM: Made in America @ Star & Shadow Cinema, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Ornette Coleman.
Fri 06: Deep Six Blues @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm.

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: 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.

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

Monday, November 30, 2020

Happiness and Heartbreak livestreamed from The Globe: - Nov. 29

Debra Milne (vocals); Stu Collingwood (keys); Steve Summers (soprano sax, tenor sax, shakers)

It Don't Mean A Thing … sang Debra, and it didn't, because the screen froze, music ceased, all dead for a few minutes, then all came alive again and the show continued in fine form. The performers are to be congratulated for not being thrown at all by the hazards of technology. Such is life, and all aspects of love and romantic life were then explored via the GASbook.

There Will Never Be Another You, skilfully piano-led, with a solo from Steve on curved soprano sax. An eastern-flavoured, suitably exotic, introduction to Caravan; God Bless The Child sung gently with suitably mournful tenor sax;  Too Darn Hot full of typical Cole Porter double entendres; Corcovado, touchingly dedicated by Debra to her husband (aaah!) who is working hard in medical circles.

Debra showed bravery in tackling the classic made famous by Nina Simone, My Baby Just Cares For Me, with its well known introduction and outro, ably played on keys by Stu. If there is such a thing as 'walking keys' (not walking bass) this is it, as the intro sounds to me as if the piano is walking along a street. You Don't Know What Love Is was sung with feeling and a notable tenor sax – the tone of the tenor is so, so good for expressing melancholy.

Lullaby Of Birdland displayed happy scat and an effective keys solo. After another couple of songs an encore was demanded by the chat, giving us Route 66, with skilled, lively, scatted lyrics, one of the best bits of scat that I've heard from Debra.

A good show from the trio, an audience of around 40 households, and meeting of friends in the chat column. A great way to spend an hour on Sunday evening in these difficult times. And of course excellent camera work and sound from the Globe volunteers.

Ann Alex

It Don't Mean A Thing; There Will Never Be Another You; Caravan; God Bless The Child; Too Darn Hot; Corcovado; Perdido; My Baby Just Cares For Me; You Don't Know What Love Is; Lullaby Of Birdland; Born To Be Blue; Temptation; Route 66

2 comments :

Debra said...

Thanks for your lovely review Anne! The scat at the end was based on Billie's Bounce - lyrics by Eddie Jefferson (and me)

Hugh said...

Nice bass too - very impressive, Stu, not only two hands on the keys, but feet on the pedals as well!

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