Bebop Spoken There

Melissa Aldana: ''Having to play a ballads album, which is something very revealing for a saxophone player, would help me to question some new aspects of how to go deeper into sound." (DownBeat May, 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

18656 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 520 of them this year alone and, so far this month (June 25) 72

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

From This Moment On

June

Mon 29: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 30: Alan Law Trio @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free.
Tue 30: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

July

Wed 01: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 01: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 01: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 02: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 02: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Thu 02: De’Sean Jones & Blaque Dynamite feat. Urban Art Orchestra @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). De’Sean Jones (MD, tenor sax); Blaque Dynamite (Mike Mitchell, drums); Jamie Murray (drums) with UAO horns & strings.
Thu 02: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.
Thu 02: Howlin’ Mat @ Newcastle Arts centre. 7:30pm. Free. Acoustic

Fri 03: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 03: Paul Donnelly Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 03: Martin Taylor @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Taylor (solo guitar).

Sat 04: Spats Langham’s Hot Fingers @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 04: Michael Woods @ Cycle Hub, Quayside, Ouseburn. 1:30-2:30pm & 3:00-4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues guitar. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sat 04: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Take the ‘A’ Train to Summertime: From Melody to Masterclass. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 05: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 05: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Feat. guest Kevin Eland (trumpet).
Sun 05: Michael Woods @ Cycle Hub, Quayside, Ouseburn. 1:30-2:30pm & 3:15-4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues guitar. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sun 05: Lydia Rae Quintet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Rae (vocals); Sam Lightwing (alto sax, tenor sax); Ben Lawrence (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Sun 05: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 05: Storytellers Street Band @ Ouseburn Woodland, Ouseburn. 5:00-6:00pm. Free. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sun 05: Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 05: Jambone @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:15-9:45pm. Free but ticketed.

Wednesday, December 16, 2020

Kansas Smitty's live streaming Louis Armstrong's Town Hall Concert - Dec. 15

Enrico Tomasso (trumpet, vocals); Pete Horsfall (trumpet, vocals); Adrian Cox (clarinet, vocals): Daniel Higham (trombone); Joe Webb (piano); Will Sach (double bass); Jas Kayser (drums)

(Photos courtesy of Ken Drew)

The 'Town Hall Concert' tag encouraged large numbers to log on. In reality Rico Tomasso (Armstrong) and co roamed far and wide, back to the Hot Fives and Sevens of some two decades before the much vaunted 1947 NYC date. Historical accuracy aside, this Kansas Smitty's live stream would prove to be an absolute barnstormer. 

Struttin' with Some Barbecue opened the one hour set. The whoops and hollers from the lucky few in the socially-distanced audience said everything...this what what we've all been missing! The excitement-o-meter threatened to explode as Rico/Louis and a cookin' rhythm section almost blew the roof off the place. 
Pete Horsfall's deferential role as Bobby Hackett and Adrian Cox as Peanuts Hucko, took it down a notch on Do you Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans?  The audience reaction? Every bit as vociferous as before. Horsfall himself sang Earl Hines' Monday Date. 

Highlights from this Kansas Smitty's session were many, perhaps none better than Rico doing his best Louis with a marvellous On the Sunny Side of the Street with 'bone man Dan Higham scoring as Jack Teagarden, or perhaps Vic Dickenson. It was noticeable that the younger members of the band - Joe Webb, Will Sach, Jas Kayser, Dan Higham - were wreathed in smiles, they were definitely enjoying themselves! 

Royal Garden Blues almost caused a riot, Kansas Smitty's speakeasy fortunate not to be raided by the boys in blue: 
'Allo, 'allo, 'allo! What's goin' on 'ere, then? Kansas Smitty's Jack on the door: Er? Nothing much, officer, we're just havin' ourselves a party. Horsfall/Hackett and Joe Webb/Dick Cary took it upon themselves to cool it. Our duo calmed the situation with a respectful take on Dear Old Southland.

Time for two more; Rico and Adrian sharing the vocals on Old Rockin' Chair and on to the grand finale. Rico/Louis thanked his band mates for making it a memorable occasion and with that, Jas Kayser, learning on the job, had a ball soloing on Tiger Rag. The odds are Rico was thinking: These guys are good, and they're so young! A cracking session, Kansas Smitty's is the gig, log on for free (donations appreciated) at eight, Tuesday to Friday.  
Russell     
at

No comments :

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments ( Atom )

Blog Archive