Bebop Spoken There

Melissa Aldana: ''Having to play a ballads album, which is something very revealing for a saxophone player, would help me to question some new aspects of how to go deeper into sound." (DownBeat May, 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

18656 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 520 of them this year alone and, so far this month (June 25) 72

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

June

Mon 29: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 30: Alan Law Trio @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free.
Tue 30: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

July

Wed 01: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 01: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 01: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 02: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 02: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Thu 02: De’Sean Jones & Blaque Dynamite feat. Urban Art Orchestra @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). De’Sean Jones (MD, tenor sax); Blaque Dynamite (Mike Mitchell, drums); Jamie Murray (drums) with UAO horns & strings.
Thu 02: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.
Thu 02: Howlin’ Mat @ Newcastle Arts centre. 7:30pm. Free. Acoustic

Fri 03: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 03: Paul Donnelly Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 03: Martin Taylor @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Taylor (solo guitar).

Sat 04: Spats Langham’s Hot Fingers @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 04: Michael Woods @ Cycle Hub, Quayside, Ouseburn. 1:30-2:30pm & 3:00-4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues guitar. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sat 04: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Take the ‘A’ Train to Summertime: From Melody to Masterclass. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 05: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 05: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Feat. guest TBC.
Sun 05: Michael Woods @ Cycle Hub, Quayside, Ouseburn. 1:30-2:30pm & 3:15-4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues guitar. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sun 05: Lydia Rae Quintet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Rae (vocals); Sam Lightwing (alto sax, tenor sax); Ben Lawrence (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Sun 05: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 05: Storytellers Street Band @ Ouseburn Woodland, Ouseburn. 5:00-6:00pm. Free. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sun 05: Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 05: Jambone @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:15-9:45pm. Free but ticketed.

Thursday, August 26, 2021

Beryl Bryden in Saltburn

On a recent visit to Saltburn Arts to catch the second of Joe Webb's two 'Art of Tatum' gigs in a day, your correspondent was alerted to an exhibition of drawings by Beryl Bryden in Saltburn Arts' bar. What's that? Beryl Bryden, skiffle era washboard ace, a visual artist? It seems few, if any, of those present were aware of Bryden's accomplishments as a portrait artist. 

Bryden's drawings on show in Saltburn are of some of the biggest names in jazz and blues. Something like twenty framed works occupy the walls of the bar and in the corridor leading to the venue's theatre space. Bryden's subjects range from George Lewis to Clarence Williams to Bessie Smith and Ella Fitzgerald. The photo shows Billie Holiday and Coleman Hawkins. 

So, how did Saltburn Arts acquire Bryden's portraits?

It's all down to one of Saltburn Arts' regular supporters inheriting the collection - quite how the family member came by them isn't entirely clear! - and subsequently gifting the works to one of Saltburn Jazz Club's long serving organisers. And here they are, on show in Saltburn! The exhibition runs for a little while yet. If you're tempted to visit Saltburn to view the exhibition it would be advisable to telephone ahead to confirm the opening hours - 01287 284025. 


As luck would have it, less than forty eight hours after the trip to Saltburn your correspondent was in London. So, with a couple of hours to kill before heading to Ronnie Scott's, it seemed like a good idea to catch an underground train to Paddington to find - and discreetly photograph - the house in which Beryl Bryden lived for a number of years. The photos show 166 Gloucester Terrace and the street sign, all of two minutes' walk from Paddington Station. Imagine how many British, possibly American, musicians called round for a cuppa! 

The photo of Beryl Bryden was taken at the 1982 Breda Jazz Festival by BSH Editor-in-Chief, LL. Russell

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2 comments :

Lance said...

This exhibition should be toured. It's of historical interest as a reminder that. Ottilie notwithstanding, Beryl was arguably the best female jazz/blues singer of her era. I well remember that open air 1982 session in Breda. I think Beryl was there on spec as her name doesn't appear on the programme but she appeared with several bands and, at the time of the photo, was singing West End Blues with the Guy Lafitte Quartet (I made notes on the programme!)
This was, I think, the year when the River City Jazzmen were top band and Stan Martin clicked for the Best Instrumentalist gong.
Beryl would have been 100 in May 2020. She should have been remembered.
As a whimsical, totally irreverent (and irrelevant) thought - if Beryl had been, like all the legendary blues singers, without a nickel or a lousy dime she could have always taken in washing!
The greatest - Saltburn must be the envy of the Trad Wing of the UK jazz scene!

Thursday, August 26, 2021 10:24:00 pm
Ashington Jazz Club said...

https://lance-bebopspokenhere.blogspot.com/2016/02/rip-tony-raine.html

Sunday, August 29, 2021 7:45:00 pm

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