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Bebop Spoken There

Trevor Mires: ''My mum is a Dean Martin fan: I'm not, so I would grab my skateboard and get out of the house whenever I heard "Everybody Loves Somebody, Sometime." ". (Jazzwise, April 2025).

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

17957 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 278 of them this year alone and, so far, 34 this month (April 14).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Sun 20: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 20: Salty Dog @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 20: Spilt Milk @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 20: Tweed River Jazz Band @ The Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 20: C.A.L.I.E @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 21: Newcastle Record Fair @ Copthorne Hotel, Newcastle. 10:00am. Going in search of the Buddy Bolden cylinder…
Mon 21: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. Coquetdale Jazz.

Wed 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 23: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 23: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED!

Thu 24: Mary Coughlan @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £33.80. Blues, jazz etc.
Thu 24: Darlington Big Band @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 25: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT! Duo performance.
Fri 25: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 25: Andrea Vicari Trio @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. Vicari (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); Russ Morgan (drums).
Fri 25: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 25: Red Kites Jazz @ Land of Oak & Iron, Winlaton Mill. 6:00-9:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Fri 25: Struggle Buggy @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. Rhythm & blues.
Fri 25: Paul Skerritt Big Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £20.30., £18.00. All-star big band.
Fri 25: Andrea Vicari Trio @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Vicari (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); Russ Morgan (drums). An Opus 4 Jazz Club event.

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

Tuesday, March 23, 2021

Album review: Roly Veitch - Geordie Odyssey

Roly Veitch (vocals, guitar, banjo, ukulele); James Birkett (guitar); Stewart Hardy (fiddle)

For many years Roly Veitch has been at the helm of Blaydon Jazz Club, occasionally leading or co-leading a band, sometimes sitting in at the behest of the musicians on stage. More often than not, Roly is content to sit back and listen to his many musician friends, invariably performing a Great American Songbook set. However, there is another string to his guitar... 

An interest in local history, dialect and the area's rich musical heritage has led Roly to record several albums focusing on the songwriters, performers and their often world famous compositions. Occasional concert performances, notably in the company of fellow jazz guitarist James Birkett* - the Blaydon Aces - have met with geat acclaim by capacity audiences throughout the region.

Geordie Odyssey is Roly's latest volume of Geordie songs. Twenty tracks spanning some forty minutes playing time, Dr Birkett is heard on three tracks and folk fiddler Stewart Hardy contributes to two selections. Time and place, and the characters inhabiting them, the material is afforded a gentle treatment, simplicity the order of the day, allowing the songs, the stories, to speak for themselves. Listening to the opening Billy Boy to the closing Blaydon Races will bring a smile to your face and, if you know the songs, you won't be able to resist singing along. 

Roly double-tracks guitar on some of the songs and the use of banjo and ukulele is highly effective. Written two centuries ago, John Leonard's Winlaton Hopping is all about Roly's home patch, and Stewart Hardy contributes fine fiddle on this track. The Lambton Worm is likely to be known to the non-Geordie, similarly Bobby Shaftoe, and if you don't tap your feet to Keep Your Feet Still Geordie Hinny ask someone to take your pulse! 

Neil Harland mixed and mastered the album, Dave Kerr is the man responsible for the artwork and the photography is by Mr. R. Veitch. 

It isn't jazz, but if you want to hear some Geordie songs sung as they should be sung, take a look at Roly's website and place your order. -.

In concert, Yorkshireman (and Honourary Geordie) James Birkett often looks amused/bemused as Roly sings the songs. Wye, howay man!  
Russell

1 comment :

ricky g said...

Another gem from Roly singing in his inimitable gentle singing style just what we need in these covid stressful times.
Relaxing and humour as well thoroughly recommended.

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