Bebop Spoken There

Emma Rawicz: "In a couple of years I've gone from being a normal university student to suddenly being on international stages." DownBeat January 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

18246 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 100 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 31), 100

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Wed 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 04: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 04: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 05: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject:Times of the Day & Trios.
Thu 05: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Special guest Emma Wilson.
Thu 05: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 06: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 06: Durham Alumni Big Band & Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn Theatre. 7:30pm. £12.00. Two big bands on stage together!
Fri 06: Nauta + Littlewood Trio @ Little Buildings, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Double bill + jam session.
Fri 06: FILM: Made in America @ Star & Shadow Cinema, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Ornette Coleman.
Fri 06: Deep Six Blues @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm.

Sat 07: The Big Easy @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 07: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30-3:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 07: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. St Thomas & Bésame Mucho. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 07: Side Cafe Oᴙkestar @ Café Under the Spire, Gateshead. 6:30pm. Table reservations: 0191 477 3970.
Sat 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 08: Swing Tyne @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12 noon (doors). Donations. Swing dance taster class (12:30pm) + Hot Club de Heaton (live performance). Non dancers welcome.
Sun 08: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 09: Mark Williams Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 09: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 10: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. 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

Monday, January 03, 2022

All the cats join in - Part Two

It's no secret that myself and some others in the jazz fraternity are cat people. The heading of this post relates to a Disney cartoon - Make Mine Music -featuring the music of Benny Goodman. It was also the title of one of Buck Clayton's legendary jam session albums (see previous post).


The above pic shows the late Ebony playing some licks on clarinet, my present cat Daphne reading JazzTimes and Ginger, her predecessor, reading DownBeat.

Tony Roberts tells me his cat's previous owners named Sid after a nasty punk rocker. Tony loves both Count Basie and Stan Kenton but Sid is more selective. If Tony puts on a Basie record Sid likes to sit on one of the speakers but if it's a Kenton record Sid can't get through the cat flap fast enough!

Some cats know which gives a lead in to Peggy Lee and Zoë Gilby who both gave Some Cats Know a workout and Pegs also hit for a lifetime supply of Whiskers with He's a Tramp.

I recall Zoë's mum Hilary mentioning that she'd once told Dizzy Gillespie that she'd named her cat after him. Dizzy was flattered and I bet the pussy cat was too!

I found this one on Pete Tanton's F/b page - hope he doesn't mind - of his lovely cat Harris.

Wingy Manone recorded Stop the War Them Cats Are Killing Themselves


Here's Jen Errington's cat Duke. Duke Errington, get it?

Cats may be cool, purring creatures but I think my cat Daphne would give any pit bull one helluva fight - I've got the scars to prove it! Lance

4 comments :

Russell said...

Did Cat Anderson have a dog?

Lance said...

When Cat hit those double top Cs dogs ran for cover and the crystal was locked away!

Ann Alex said...

Lovely cat photos. My cat Plato 1978-1993 only ever heard folk music as I wasn't then into jazz. Good to see Jen's cat which is beautiful, as I've heard a lot about Duke.
Lance you could run a competition about what the cats are thinking eg Pete Tanton's cat is thinking 'I don't like that chord that he's playing!'

Jen said...

Hi Ann
Good to hear from you. Yes I still can't believe how handsome Duke is!" I've just sent a picture to Lance with the keyboard Duke has just finishing playing - he's exhausted lounging on the back of the chair. One of his favourite songs is "I've got my love to keep me Warm" I paid tribute to that at our IJV gig in December - I've got my Duke to Keep me, I've got my Duke to keep me, I've got my Duke...to...keep...me....Warm.

Hopefully more of Lance's stories on Cats still to come.
HAPPY NEW YEAR

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