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

Sunday, March 20, 2022

Album review: Richard Shelton - An Englishman in Love in LA

Richard Shelton (vocals). Band includes Wayne Bergeron (trumpet); Eric Marienthal (sop sax, alto sax, flute); Brian Scanlon (tenor sax, flute); Jordan Siegel/Michael Lang (piano); Alex Finck/Chuck Berghoefer (bass); Ryan Shaw/Gregg Field (drums) and others.

Back in 2016 I posted a video of the title track in anticipation of this album. It took rather rather longer than expected for the actual album to appear.

It's fringe jazz in the way that Bennett and Sinatra are and British born Shelton has much in common with the latter having appeared in several theatrical productions based around Ol' Blue Eyes - Rat Pack Confidential, Sinatra & Me and Sinatra RAW.

Five originals, three pop songs and eight standards make for a very listenable album that is maybe 55% Shelton and 45% Sinatra - give or take 10% either way.

Surprisingly, one of the most interesting tracks is a song indelibly associated with Tom Jones - until now!

It's Not Unusual eschews the full-on uptempo approach of the boyo from the valleys in favour of a slow, laid back, balladic interpretation that works.

Most of the solos are by Marienthal. Short, pithy and effective and probably up there with the best that emerged from the legendary Capitol Tower.

This is a swingin' affair, to be listened to in the wee small hours by swinging lovers as well as those who are young at heart and maybe nursing a drink at a quarter to three - ring-a-ding-ding! Lance.

Lost and Found; My Kind of Girl; And I  Love Her;; Sinatra and Me; It's Not Unusual; The Touch of Your Lips; Where or When; She Loves Me; My Thoughts Return to You; An Englishman in Love in LA; For Your Lover Give Some Time; Young at Heart; Smile; Pure Imagination; Over Like the Roses; One For my Baby.

Richard Shelton - An Englishman in Love in LA. UK release April 22.

Pre Album Launch Show - April 4 @ Crazy Coq's / Brasserie Zedel

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