Bebop Spoken There

Christian McBride: ''We knew back in the day that Emmet [Cohen] had it.'' (DownBeat July, 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

18767 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 631 of them this year alone and, so far this month (July 31) 95.

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

August

Mon 03: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 03: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Tue 04: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 05: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 05: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 05: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 06: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 06: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 06: Wild Women of Wylam @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 06: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Feat. guest Zoë Gilby.
Thu 06: 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 06: Bridget Metcalfe Sextet @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 07: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 07: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.

Sat 08: ???

Sun 09: 58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00-3:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Ropner Park, Stockton. 2:00-4:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: The Gambling Janes @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Sunday, October 03, 2021

David Gray & Mark Williams @ Prohibition Bar - Oct. 2

David Gray (trombone); Mark Williams (guitar)

The name is Gray, David Gray...the name is Williams, Mark Williams. In the wake of the latest 007 box office blockbuster, David Gray and Mark Williams cashed in with a couple of Bond, James Bond numbers. On a rainy evening on Pink Lane, Prohibition Bar was doing steady business. A trombone-guitar duo isn't the obvious combination for a Saturday night out, but when the calibre of musician on stage is dynamic trombonist David Gray and guitar maestro Mark Williams, you're onto a winner.

Prohibition Bar's stage isn't of Pinewood Studios dimensions, it's more like two telephone boxes side by side. Gray standing, Williams seated, our duo dialled up the first number, Sonny Rollins' Doxy. William's Finally owed something to P Metheny, William's Arabic intro to Jobim's Wave momentarily wrong footed the audience and We Have All the Time in the World came as a welcome surprise. If only Gray, David Gray had chosen to sing, perhaps next time. 

An interval chat with our two Bonds: in a matter of hours Gray, David Gray, would be making his way to Ayr on an assignment with SouLutions, Williams, Mark Williams, was planning to spy upon, sorry, check out the NFOJIM jam session - rendezvous fifteen hundred hours Sunday, Black Swan.

Second set, Gray declared the opener was ambitious for a 'bone-guitar combo - Chick Corea's 500 Miles High. What do you know? Mission accomplished! Gray's Silver Orcas tipped the hat at Silver, Horace Silver. Diamonds Are Forever as a duo instrumental (Ms Bassey wasn't available) followed by another ambitious chart - Anthropology. Happy to report our Bonds survived intact! To conclude a fun evening, Gray, David Gray upped the ante, suggesting the set closer was 'super ambitious'. Chick Corea's Spain the challenge, Gray and Williams soared five hundred miles high, safely returning to HQ to receive plaudits from Her Maj and punters alike.   006
        
Set list: Doxy; All the Things You Are; Beatrice; Finally (comp. M Williams); Wave; We Have All the Time in the World (from On Her Majesty's Secret Service); 500 Miles High; Silver Orcas (comp. D Gray); Diamonds Are Forever (from Diamonds Are Forever); Anthropology; Untitled (comp. M Williams); Spain.    
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