Bebop Spoken There

Christian McBride: ''I believe we are living in a historically embarrassing moment in American history.'' - Downbeat December 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

18083 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 1047 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Dec. 14), 61.

From This Moment On ...

DECEMBER 2025

Tue 23: Paul Skerritt @ Chakh Dhoom, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Indian restaurant. Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Wed 24: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 24: Alexia Gardner @ The Townhouse, Bridge St., Morpeth. 1:30-4:30pm. ‘The A Capella Sessions’. Gardner, Paula Gardner, Alexia Hope Gardner Diamany.
Wed 24: Paul Skerritt @ Mambo Wine & Dine, South Shields. 1:30pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Thu 25: Alexia Gardner @ The Townhouse, Bridge St., Morpeth. 1:30-4:00pm. ‘All About the Bass Sessions’. Alexia Gardner, Paula Gardner, Jude Murphy.

Fri 26: ???

Sat 27: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. CANCELLED!
Sat 27: Leeds City Stompers @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free.

Sun 28: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 28: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 28: Paul Skerritt @ 3 Stories, High St. West, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 28: The Society Quartet @ Hilton Garden Inn, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Jason Holcomb & co.

Mon 29: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 30: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £8.00., £7.00. adv.

Wed 31: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 31: Lil Miss Mary & the Mr Rights Trio @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. ‘Early NYE Bash’. Rockabilly, rhythm & blues.
Wed 31: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. ‘Midnight in Manhattan’ NYE party. £49.46 (inc. bf) & £29.38 (inc. 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

Sunday, March 07, 2021

Sunday Night @ The Globe: The Pete Tanton Quartet - March 7

Pete Tanton (trumpet/flugel/vocals); Mark Williams (guitar); Andy Champion (bass); Russ Morgan (drums).

(Screenshot by Debra Milne)

The last time I heard this quartet was also at The Globe in between either the first and second lockdowns or maybe it was the second and third? Who knows? Who cares? When you've seen three lockdowns you've seen 'em all - or so we hope!

On that occasion, we booked and paid in advance, sanitised our hands, provided track and trace details, ordered our drinks from a masked waitress then sat back and enjoyed some live music.

The music tonight was still live but we, the punters, were chained to our screens without any masked waitresses to distract us.

It didn't matter, once the music started the last thing we needed was distractions!

The Champion of the bass played the opening bars followed by shimmering cymbals, post Ellington growl trumpet, guitar laying down the chords and we were off!

It's Not as Bad as You Might Think may be a good title but it did the tune an injustice - it was a lot better than titled implied. In fact it was superb!

Heaven Only Knows, the first of several pleasing vocals. Did I detect a suggestion of Mark Murphy? Flugelhorn for the next couple of numbers in this all-original set.

Turf War (nothing to do with NUFC's training ground!); Barbados and More Comfort - all gems. However, the best was yet to come!

Lorenzo. Part monologue, part vocal, a fine trumpet solo and a question. Was/is Lorenzo a woman or a cat?

Tell me When it's Safe to Open my Eyes. Another great title and another great vocal. I'm starting to wonder in what order we rate Pete - trumpeter, vocalist, composer, lyricist? He's pretty damn good at the lot!

Not surprisingly, an encore was demanded and we had Mark Williams' "greatest hit" Booze Blues. Guitar and trumpet played the uptempo head in unison and we were off to the races. Needless to say, Mark got home by a short head. Well you don't compose a tune for someone else to get the glory although, tonight, everyone shared the glory.

Another Super Sunday on Railway St.
Lance

1 comment :

Russell said...

Maybe some of us did have a masked waitress to distract us!

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