Bebop Spoken There

Donovan Haffner ('Best Newcomer' 2025 Parliamentary Jazz Awards): ''I got into jazz the first time I picked up a saxophone!" - Jazzwise Dec 25/Jan 26

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

18122 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 1086 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Dec. 31), 100

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Wed 07: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 07: FILM: Blue Moon @ The Forum Cinema, Hexham. 2:00pm. Dir. Richard Linklater’s biopic of Lorenz Hart.
Wed 07: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 07: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 08: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: Jazz Milestones of 1976.

Fri 09: The House Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00.
Fri 09: Nauta @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Trio: Jacob Egglestone, Jamie Watkins, Bailey Rudd.
Fri 09: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Warren James & the Lonesome Travellers @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £15.00.
Fri 09: The Blue Kings @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £10.00. (£8.00. adv.). All-star band.

Sat 10: Mark Toomey Quintet @ St Peter’s Church, Stockton-on-Tees. 7:30pm. £12.00. (inc. pie & peas). Tickets from: 07749 255038.

Sun 11: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 12: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 12: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 13: Milne Glendinning Band @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00. Coquetdale Jazz.
Tue 13: 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

Saturday, January 16, 2021

A Wake-up Call for Bop Van Winkle

Jazz? Love it man! I really dig the jive. Now that I’ve woken up after my big sleep, boy that Brown Ale sure has a kick, I can’t wait to have a shave and get down to the New Orleans Club and hear Ronnie McLean and the Panama Jazzmen. That guy sure plays a mean trombone.

You’re telling me Ronnie’s gone – Gone where? Touring again with Disley and Hastings? Up there? Man, it just shows you that only the good die young although I guess they made an exception in Ronnie’s case. And now you’re telling me the club’s been turned into an Indian Restaurant. Is nothing sacred?

Well, I haven’t got eyes for a Vindaloo so I’ll head across town to The Downbeat for the all-nighter. My old buddy Crombie will be on the door, he’ll let me in. That Emcee Five plays my kind of bebop – Hey-ba-ba-re-bop!

The Downbeat’s no more? Crombie’s dead and so are the brothers Carr?

Newcastle’s finished! I’m gonna jump on the good old steam train and take me, my LPs and my Slim Jim ties down to London. Ronnie Scott’s opened a place on Gerrard St. Zoot Sims played there maybe Ronnie will book him again.

You’re kidding me? Ronnie’s dead? Zoot’s dead? And the club’s now in Frith St and it’s all posh?

England’s finished, I’m off to New York. 52nd St. here I come. Cut it with the cats at Bop City – they named me after that club, or was it the other way round? I’ll soon be hi-fiving it with Diz and Monk just you wait and see.

Bop City and all the clubs on The Street are gone? And if I go around hi-fiving I’ll end up in jail or joining Diz and Monk up there?

Maybe Paris then, Brexit? Don't know him but if he's good I wanna hear him - oh, I see, but I can still go to Paris can't I? Just gotta fill in the forms, get the jabs and wait and see.

You know what? I’m gonna go back to the Land of Nod. Best take a bottle of the old brown dog with me to help me on my way – I’m gonna need it. See you again or maybe not. Now where did I put that bottle opener ...?

Bop Van Winkle.

(Interview by Lance)

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