Bebop Spoken There

John Donegan: ''What you take in through your ears can come out through your fingers.'' (Notes to Which Direction October, 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

19,030 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 894 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Oct. 22) 73.

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

October.

Mon 26: Sue Ferris Quintet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 26: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 27: Alan Law @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free. Alan Law (piano) w. guest Ruth Lambert.
Tue 27: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free (donations).

Wed 28: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 28: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 28: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 29: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 29: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 29: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 29: Simon Taylor Band @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. £8.00.
Thu 29: King Bees @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Superb Chicago blues band.

Fri 30: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 30: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 30: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.

Sat 31: Saltburn Big Band + Durham Alumni Big Band @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Sat 31: East Coast Swing Band @ Cramlington Village Club, Park View, Cramlington NE23 6QJ. 7:30pm. £10.00. (from venue).

November

Sun 01: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 01: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Quintet w. special guest Donna Hewitt (tenor sax, clarinet)
Sun 01: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: Sarah Heneghan Trio : The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Friday, December 24, 2021

Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms - Xmas Eve

Maureen Hall (vocals); Gavin Lee (clarinet); Don Fairley (trombone); Brian Chester (keyboards); Tom Darbyshire (double bass, vocals); George Davidson (drums, vocals) + John Broddle (vocals)

Christmas Eve, the Monkseaton Arms, Rendezvous Jazz, full house. Maureen Hall's long-established outfit continues to pull in the punters, here in Monkseaton, over at the Red Lion in Earsdon, and on occasional forays further afield, often taking a bus load of supporters for a weekend away.* This afternoon Maureen had the A-team out. To her left, Gavin Lee, clarinet, to her right, trombonist Don Fairley. The rhythm section - pianist Brian Chester, string bassist Tom Darbyshire, drummer George Davidson - reported for duty, ready and willing to don Santa/silly hats. 

Much of the set list featured requests, some of the numbers toasting absent friends, some remembering folk who, sadly, are no longer with us. Royal Garden Blues was as good a way as any to start this Christmas Eve session. Lee and Fairley shared the bulk of the solo spots, Chester too. The band singers numbered three, Maureen, of course (Light from the Lighthouse a highlight, Maureen has a penchant for a spiritual), George Davidson (It's a Long Way from Tipperary an oddity, but hey, everyone sang along) and, rather effectively, Tom Darbyshire taking a chorus on Darktown Strutters' Ball. 

John Broddle called in for a pint, singing just the one number - After You've Gone. Rendezvous Jazz at the Monkseaton Arms is a no nonsense, foot-tapping Dixieland session. Give it a try, it's free admission, do buy a raffle ticket or three, top tip...arrive early for a good seat!        

* Rendezvous Jazz will be up in Northumberland for a two night stay at the Riverdale Hall Hotel in Bellingham, Friday 18 to Sunday 20 March next year. For full details call Riverdale Hall on 01434 220254. And before then, Maureen and the boys will be back at the Monkseaton Arms next Friday (New Year's Eve) at one o'clock. Russell    

Set list: Royal Garden Blues; Dr Jazz; I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus; Bourbon Street Parade; Careless Love; I Wan'na be Like You; Clarinet Marmalade; Christmas Island; After You've Gone; Darktown Strutters' Ball; Are You Lonesome Tonight?; Hiawatha; It's a Long Way to Tipperary; Light from the Lighthouse; Canal Street Blues; Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives to Me.  
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