Bebop Spoken There

Dominick "Domo" Branch: ''Most people say drummers can't write, they're just time-keepers only beating on things. But I have a very musical brain.'' (DownBeat February, 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

18288 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 142 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Feb. 14), 42

From This Moment On ...

February

Fri 20: Alex Clarke w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT! Clarke w. Dean Stockdale, Mick Shoulder, Abbie Finn.
Fri 20: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 20: Squabble @ Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7:00pm. Steve Chambers (organ); Jude Murphy (double bass, vocals); Sid White (drums).
Fri 20: Jive Aces @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:00pm (6:30pm doors).
Fri 20: Alex Clarke w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Clarke w. Dean Stockdale, Mick Shoulder, Abbie Finn.

Sat 21: ???

Sun 22: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 22: Joe Steels Group @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. A Blue Patch album tour.
Sun 22: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Harben Kay Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 23: Joe Steels Group @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. A Blue Patch album tour.
Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 24: Finn-Keeble Group @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00.
Tue 24: Liam Oliver & Shayo Oshodi @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 25: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 25: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 25: Geordie Jazz Jam @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Newcastle University jam session. All welcome.
Wed 25: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 26: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £6.50.
Thu 26: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00 adv.
Thu 26: Mick Cantwell Band @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Blues.

Fri 27: Joe Steels Group @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT! A Blue Patch album tour.
Fri 27: Alan Barnes w. Mick Shoulder Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. Trio: Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 27: Radio Hito + Eddie Prévost, Silvain Schmid & Tom Wheatley @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £12.22., £10.10., £8.00.
Fri 27: Giacomo Smith w Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.
Fri 27: Alan Barnes w. Mick Shoulder Trio @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £15.00. Trio: Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).

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

Wednesday, December 22, 2021

Black Swan Jam - Dec. 21

Stu Collingwood (piano); Paul Grainger (bass); Sid White (drums)

The house trio kicked things off on what was expected to be a relatively quiet night with I Will Wait For You and How About You? We didn't have to wait too long before Mr Bassman Grainger was saying to an ever-increasing influx of instrument cases "How about you?"

The line was forming on the right.

First up was bass guitarist Richie Richardson who spelled Paul for some Jaco with Mercy, Mercy, Mercy and The Chicken.

King David Ike-Elechi replaced Southpaw Syd on drums which gave King's sidekick in Knats, trumpet player Ferg Kilsby, and bassist Oscar Ho time to decide to play All the Things You Are after the kit was mirror-imaged.

Edgar Ho joined bruv Oscar on keys, Sam Toulson arrived on alto (and I mean arrived!) to pair up with Ferg for Bye Bye Blackbird - things were hotting up.

The temperature continued to rise when Harry Toulson added more alto to the mix and Laurence Harrison kicked in on guitar. I didn't do the maths but, by this time the average age of the band must have been about 18! There Will Never be Another You really nailed it! (The Sam Toulson Quartet are at The Globe in January - not to be missed unless ...). 

Perennial favourite Nick Gould drove down from Edinburgh. After hearing the young trumpet player and the  two alto saxes the tenor player must have felt like Coleman Hawkins did when he ran into those Kansas City cats way back in the 1930s!

However, Nick knows his way around a Mark VI and, with Murray Wankler on piano, after a spirited Tangerine, he wiped everybody out with Angel Eyes taken as a fast Samba. He was playing for keeps!

Ray Johnson chose flugelhorn for My One and Only Love. Nick joined in before they had a blast on My Little Suede Shoes. 

So far, no vocals - that was about to change!

Sid White took to the mic for Pennies From Heaven and it didn't hurt at all - more please. Ferg Kilsby also blew a nice chorus.

Killer Joe saw another bass guitarist on the stand - Steve Picking. The clock was ticking and they entered the home straight with Scrapple From the Apple. A request for The Christmas Song was despatched before the penultimate Take the A Train. Trumpet, flugel, tenor, piano, guitar, bass and drums (the Hos and the Toulsons had caught an earlier train) which arrived ahead of time so Paul decreed that they had six minutes to see off Straight no Chaser which they duly did as I left to catch the 27 Crusader. A great jam plus mince pies and Xmas crackers - Lance

(Top photo by Russell, the rest by Lance who apologises for the quality.)

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