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

Wednesday, December 02, 2020

Live stream: Kansas City @ Kansas Smitty's - Dec. 2

Joe Webb (piano); Dave Archer (guitar); Will Sach (bass); Jas Kayser (drums)

(Screenshots by Ken Drew)

Tonight's theme was Count Basie's All-American rhythm section, the name given to the four musicians who underpinned the roaring big band that set Kansas City alight during the 1930s. Bill Basie, Freddie Green, Walter Page and Jo Jones may seem a hard act to follow but homework had been done and our All-British (well 75%) rhythm section did the business.

The ringer, Will Sach, ex NYC, did the announcements and played bass to suit. Needless to say that Joe Webb, who can handle just about any style, slotted into the Count's mode seamlessly whilst Jas Kayser, playing mainly brushes, was right on the money.

This was just so therapeutic and I don't mean Easy Listening although it was easy to listen to. Count Basie, after being asked, what makes good jazz replied: Four beats to the bar and no cheatin'.

We got that tonight!

Freddie Green, although possibly the greatest rhythm guitarist in big band jazz at that time, wasn't a soloist which mean't that Dave Archer didn't solo although he too laid down that Freddie Green style chord foundation. 

In my dreams, I was imagining Lester Young suddenly appearing and turning it into the Kansas City Five - maybe someday one of the KS tenor players will give it a whirl!

I didn't catch all of the titles, partly because I was switching back and forward twixt YT and FB trying to work out which of the two froze the least - it seemed to be about 51/49 YT - and Sach didn't always announce the titles but, never mind, the numbers I did note included such classics as Jive at Five; Handful of Keys; Jumpin' at the Woodside and L'il Darlin'. What memories I have of this latter tune! Lying in bed, late one night listening to Willis Conover on the Voice of America (in special English). I rushed out the next day and bought The Atomic Mr Basie! I also remember Ronnie McLean telling me, after Alan Price had sat in at the New Orleans Club, that Pricey didn't know the chords to L'il Darlin'!

So to sum up, another great set from KS in front of a live audience which is what we all want for Christmas - a live gig to go to without having to eat a Scotch egg!

Lance

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