Total Pageviews

Bebop Spoken There

Van Morrison: ''Basically, I'm coming from jazz. Not pop, not rock, not what's commercial. That's where I started, and that's still where I am. I feel the same as I did when I was listening to Louis Armstrong, Lead Belly, Jelly Roll Morton''. (The Northern Echo, 12 June 2025).

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

18037 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 458 of them this year alone and, so far, 36 this month (June 11).

From This Moment On ...

JUNE 2025

Sat 14: Mr Wilson’s Second Liners @ Northumberland Miners’ Picnic, Woodhorn Museum, Ashington. 10:00am-5:00pm. Free. At intervals during the day.
Sat 14: Spanish City Rollers @ The Brae, Cullercoats. 11:00am & 1:00pm. Free. A Cullercoats Festival event.
Sat 14: Front Porch Three + Hoodoo Blues swing dance workshop @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 3:30pm. A Cullercoats Festival event.
Sat 14: Tyne Valley Big Band @ Tynedale Beer & Cider Festival, Tynedale Rugby Club, Corbridge. 4:15-5:30pm.
Sat 14: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 14: Mark Williams Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 14: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Sat 14: Eva Fox & Steve Chambers @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 15: Lewis Watson Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 15: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 15: Pasadena Roof Orchestra @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:00pm.
Sun 15: Under the Wellie @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 15: Hannah Brine Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 16: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club (1:00pm). Free.
Mon 16: Giles Strong Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 17: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 18: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 18: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:30pm. Free. Concert performance (open to the public)..
Wed 18: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 19: Gareth John & the SOS Big Band @ The Forum Music Centre, Darlington. 7:00pm. £25.00.

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: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. £21.50. ‘Time After Time’..
Fri 20: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. .
Fri 20: King Bees @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. Superb Chicago blues band.

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, January 26, 2022

The Shearing Sound @ the Railway, Stockport - Jan. 25

Bryan Pendleton (piano); Paul Hartley (guitar); Dave Luckhurst (vibes); John Sandham (bass);  Eryl Roberts (drums); Simone McGregor vocals

I can’t remember the last time I saw a set of vibes at the Railway but if you are going to invoke the sounds of George Shearing, I suppose vibes will be an essential item. Also on board was a young singer who had a nice sounding voice.

Simone McGregor was featured on about a third of the numbers played doing a great version of September in the Rain - a hit for Shearing and, in my opinion, one of the greatest tunes ever written.  I should mention that singers are seldom seen at this venue as most of the acts that play here are usually instrumental quartets.

Paul Hartley, who took on the role of compere for the show, explained before the opening I Remember April that the tunes played would be short as the band had many of them and he was not kidding!

I reckon they got through at least 21 tunes and even then I may have missed one or two. This has got to be a record for the amount of numbers played during a 2 hour time frame at this venue. For this reason I will not be listing all the tunes played but will mention the ones that I thought were highlights.

Dream:   A Johnny Mercer composition - vocal by Simone.

Bernie’s Tune: Another well-known tune and I liked the vibes solo.

If Dreams Come True: A Benny Goodman tune with another fine vocal by Simone.

Isn’t It Romantic: Always liked this tune since I heard Benny Carter’s version on an EP with Oscar Peterson.

This all takes me back to October 6 1962 when I saw George Shearing at Manchester’s Free Trade Hall. Also on the same bill was singer Sarah Vaughan, but she cancelled due to illness and her place was taken by ex Count Basie vocalist Joe Williams backed by pianist Junior Mance and his trio. This is what decided me to buy a ticket as I was a big fan of Junior Mance and still am. I still have a photo I took with an old Box Brownie camera of Joe Williams which came out great. Shearing had a great band and I was highly impressed by his bass player Ralph Pena and also Vernel Fournier an amazing drummer who died in 2000. The vibes player in George Shearing’s band was Douglas Marsh who mainly played on the themes and about whom I know nothing.

To sum up I would like to wish this project all the best and congrats to Bryan Pendleton and Paul Hartley for making it a successful night. Also I thought they got the sound as near perfect as possible.

The next jazz night at the Railway is on Sunday Jan 30 with the Grant Russell Quartet. Mike Farmer

2 comments :

Lance said...

Mike - you think you've got memories! October 6, 1962 was the day I got married. After the reception we drove down to London in a rented Triumph Herald for our honeymoon.

We did the sights but one of the highlights was seeing the very same concert that you saw in Manchester at Finsbury Park Empire a few days later. I still have the programme.

Nat King Cole and Shearing had had a hit with Let There be Love and Joe Williams did a fine job in his place.

Keep those memories coming ...

Years later I saw Shearing at the RFH with Mel Tormé - he sure could accompany singers!

Mike Farmer said...

Hi Lance -Yes I've got some great memories which involve Jazz related things but other stuff I find hard to recall. You mentioned the hit that Shearing had with Nat King Cole. Let There be love. I thought it strange that the Shearing Sound did not feature this number and also the bop tune Conception was not played. They did however end the show with a fine rendition of Lullaby of Birdland. Cheers Mike Farmer.

Blog Archive