Bebop Spoken There

Joe Alterman: ''All I wanted to do growing up was to sound like Erroll Garner playing "Poor Butterfly." I thought that was the coolest sound I'd ever heard.'' (DownBeat November, 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

19,061 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 925 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Oct. 30) 104.

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

October.

Sat 31: Saltburn Big Band + Durham Alumni Big Band @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Sat 31: East Coast Swing Band @ Cramlington Village Club, Park View, Cramlington NE23 6QJ. 7:30pm. £10.00. (from venue).

November

Sun 01: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 01: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Quintet w. special guest Donna Hewitt (tenor sax, clarinet)
Sun 01: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: Sarah Heneghan Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 02: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 02: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Tue 03: Alan Law @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free. Alan Law (piano) w. guest tba
Tue 03: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.
Tue 03: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 04: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ 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: An Evening of Erykah Badu @ Holy GrAle, Durham. 7:30pm. £3.00.; £2.50. A Durham University Jazz Society event.
Wed 04: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 05: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 05: Hejira - Celebrating Joni Mitchell @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm.
Thu 05: Cut Capers @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors).
Thu 05: Northern Reaches @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free (donations). Pete Tanton, Joe Steels, Laurence Blackadder, John Hirst.
Thu 05: Fergus McCreadie @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Fri 06: Mike Durham’s International Classic Jazz Party @ Village Hotel, West Allotment. 12 noon. Day 1/3.
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: Jazz Night: Bridget Metcalfe @ Saltburn House Hotel. From 6:00pm. Tickets: £40.00 (inc. a two-course meal & glass of Prosecco). Tel: 01287 658977.

Sunday, February 14, 2021

Jo Harrop: Valentine's Day live stream from the 606

Jo Harrop (vocals); Jamie McCredie (guitar); Sam Watts (piano); Jihad Darwish (double bass) Pete Adam Hill (drums) 

Valentine's Day. What better way to spend the evening than in the company of Jo Harrop? Live streaming from the 606, London, our exiled superstar sang a set of love songs for the occasion. Exiled? Yes, Jo is from 'up north', County Durham to be precise, making it big in London. With Jo this evening, some of her favourite musicians, including Tyneside ex-pat guitarist Jamie McCredie. The set list would comprise GASbook gems and a couple of new tunes Jo has written with friends on the London scene. 

You'd be so Nice to Come Home to opened the set, Jo in fine voice from the first note. So many great tunes played by a great band - McCredie, pianist Sam Watts and Jo's regular bass and drums boys, Jihad Darwish and Pete Adam Hill. Moon River most effective, I Love Being Here With You vying for tune of the night, absolutely flying, McCredie knocking out a swinging solo. This was the business! What a Little Moonlight Can Do taken at a lick, smiles all round, tremendous! From Camelot, Lerner and Loewe's If Ever I Would Leave You, a choice selection, rarely heard, stripped down to a duet - Jo's voice, Sam Watt's romantic piano accompaniment. Excellent. 

If you can't find love, you can always buy love said Jo. Cue Love for Sale. Shout outs to some of Jo's 'up north' supporters in Newcastle and Chester le Street. A late observation, signifying nothing in particular...all on stage except Jo were wearing headgear of one kind or another. Fine and Mellow featured top draw piano playing from Watts, an expressive bass solo from Darwish and an exchange of scatted fours between Jo and Jamie. And that was it. Good night.                 
Russell 

Set list included: You'd be so Nice to Come Home to; I've Got a Crush on You; Moon River; The Way You Look Tonight; Confessin'; I Love Being Here With You; My Funny Valentine; What a Little Moonlight Can Do; If Ever I Would Leave You; Love for Sale; Fine and Mellow  
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3 comments :

JERRY said...

Did your stream work well, Russell? We were plagued by jumping and buffering all through the show which I blamed on our often unreliable internet connection here. This was particularly galling given the excellence of the music on offer.
JERRY

Monday, February 15, 2021 8:54:00 am
Russell said...

Hi Jerry,no problems at all here on Tyneside. As you say, Jo and the boys were great. It'll be nice to hear Jo in concert once again, hopefully sooner rather than later.

Monday, February 15, 2021 11:50:00 am
JERRY said...

I'll drink to that!

Monday, February 15, 2021 6:37:00 pm

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