Bebop Spoken There

Emma Rawicz: "In a couple of years I've gone from being a normal university student to suddenly being on international stages." DownBeat January 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

18246 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 100 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 31), 100

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Wed 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ 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: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 05: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject:Times of the Day & Trios.
Thu 05: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Special guest Emma Wilson.
Thu 05: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

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: Durham Alumni Big Band & Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn Theatre. 7:30pm. £12.00. Two big bands on stage together!
Fri 06: Nauta + Littlewood Trio @ Little Buildings, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Double bill + jam session.
Fri 06: FILM: Made in America @ Star & Shadow Cinema, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Ornette Coleman.
Fri 06: Deep Six Blues @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm.

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.

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

Monday, July 26, 2021

Munch Manship Quartet @ the Railway, Stockport - July 25

Munch Manship (tenor sax); Andrzej Baranek (keys); Grant Russell (bass); Dave Tyas (drums).*

I watched a news item on Sunday concerning an unexploded World War 2 bomb found in a building site in Goole, Yorkshire. The Army came in and blew it up, which was a quite spectacular event.

Another explosive event occurred at the Railway on Sunday evening when saxman Munch Manship together with a first-rate backing trio arrived ready to cook up a storm, and they did!

On keyboard was the superb Andrzej Baranek on brilliant form as always.  Grant Russell was on bass and was playing one of those large triangular instruments. In the drum chair was Dave Tyas who big band fans may recall led the Shades Jazz Orchestra which used to be known as the Shades of Kenton Orchestra.

By the time the music started the room was almost full, which was good to see. Although Munch is an excellent flautist, he chose to play tenor sax throughout.     

Munch is a man who started getting interested in the saxophone quite early in life, taking lessons from the late great Ron Aspery. He then played as a professional musician in various bands around Manchester and, in his twenties, toured extensively with the Eric Delaney Band throughout the UK and Europe. He spent some time in London, then returned to Manchester where he did theatre work, played in radio bands and in the eighties toured around UK and Europe backing the likes of The Four Tops, Shirley Bassey, Roy Orbison etc.

Chatting with Munch at the end of the gig I got to check out his tenor, a beautiful Selmer Mk 6. He told me he had been playing it for about ten years and it originally belonged to Alan Fawkes, another great sax master.

I look forward to hearing him again in the near future.

Tomorrow (July 27) at the Railway another local jazz hero Freddy Garner will be there with his quartet. Mike Farmer

* Photo is from a 2014 gig at the Railway with the late Vinnie Parker on keyboards.

Have You Met Miss Jones; Only Trust Your Heart;  St Thomas;  In a Sentimental Mood; Good Bait; Airegin; Jordu;  Autumn Leaves; Along Came Betty;The Jamfs Are Coming; Joy Spring.

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