Bebop Spoken There

Donovan Haffner ('Best Newcomer' 2025 Parliamentary Jazz Awards): ''I got into jazz the first time I picked up a saxophone!" - Jazzwise Dec 25/Jan 26

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

18146 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 24 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 7), 24

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Sat 10: Mark Toomey Quintet @ St Peter’s Church, Stockton-on-Tees. 7:30pm. £12.00. (inc. pie & peas). Tickets from: 07749 255038.

Sun 11: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 12: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 12: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 13: Milne Glendinning Band @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00. Coquetdale Jazz.
Tue 13: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 14: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 14: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 15: Mark Toomey Quartet @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. Quartet + guest Paul Donnelly (guitar).

Fri 16: Giles Strong Quartet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 16: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 16: Darlington Big Band @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 16: Leeds City Stompers @ Billy Bootleggers, Newcastle. 9:00pm. 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

Saturday, December 25, 2021

Album review: Alex Webb w. Jo Harrop, Carroll Thompson, Luca Manning & Tony Momrelle - British Standard Time

Jo Harrop, Carroll Thompson, Luca Manning, Tony Momrelle (vocals); Alex Webb (piano, organ, arr. MD); Tony Kofi (soprano, alto, baritone sax); Leo Richardson (tenor sax, flute); Andy Davies (trumpet, flugel); Nat Cross (trombone); Ciyo Brown/Jamie McCredie (guitar); Flo Moore (bass); Sophie Alloway (drums).

The title is magical - it says it all. British Standard Time. Time to listen to some British standards sung impeccably by four of the best interpreters of classic songs irrespective of which side of the Atlantic they were conceived.

In this case the material covers several decades ranging from Harry Woods' Try a Little Tenderness (1932), Noel Coward's Mad About the Boy from the same year and Ray Noble's The Very Thought of You (1934) to numbers associated with Paul Weller, Amy Winehouse and others. Thompson mainly handles the older standards, Harrop the more contemporary ones with Manning and Momrelle also leaning in the latter direction although Momrelle's take on The Very Thought of You is comparable with many of the classic versions from way back.

All four singers make their mark each stamping their individual take and helped along the way by Webb's classy arrangements and some punchy solos from the horns - all are on fire. Webb, incidentally, also composed two of the tunes himself - Breakfast For Two and Moments. Both sung beautifully and effectively, the former by Thompson and the latter by Harrop.

Absolutely perfect for your Xmas party, your NYE bash, your well er your anything!

Available on Spotify and elsewhere.

Luv it! Lance

HarropI Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For; Man in the Station/Don't Want to Know; Moments; As Long as he Needs me; Love is a Losing Game; Almost Blue.
ThompsonLullaby of Birdland; Try a Little Tenderness; Breakfast For Two; Mad About the Boy.
Manning: Let's Slip Away; Human: You Do Something to me.
MomrelleGive me the Night; The Very Thought of You.

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