Bebop Spoken There

Ludovic Beier (Django Festival Allstars): ''Manouche means 'free man,' and gypsies have been travelers since they migrated west from India to Europe.'' (DownBeat March, 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

18361 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 215 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Mar. 8 ), 25

From This Moment On ...

March

Thu 12: Boomslang @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 12: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ The Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:30pm. Free.

Fri 13: Paul Skerritt Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm . £9.00.
Fri 13: The SH#RP Collective @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Soothsayers + Rookie Numbers @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £17.51., £14.33., £11.16.

Sat 14: The Too Bad Jims @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm (6:30pm doors). £13.20., £11.00. R&B.
Sat 14: NUJO @ Venue, Newcastle University Students’ Union. Time TBC. £15.00. supporter; £10.00. standard; £5.00. student. Seated event.

Sun 15: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 15: The Too Bad Jims @ The Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. £12.00. R&B.
Sun 15: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 15: Rebecca Poole @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00. Poole w. Dean Stockdale & Ken Marley. CANCELLED!

Mon 16: Milne Glendinning Band @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 16: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 16: Russ Morgan Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 17: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Scotty Adair (drums).

Wed 18: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 18: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 18: The ’58 Jazz Collective @ Hartlepool Cricket Club, West Park, 7:30pm. £7.00.
Wed 18: Brand New Heavies @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm.
Wed 18: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, 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

Friday, April 15, 2022

Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club - April 15

Olive Rudd (vocals); Jim McBriarty (alto sax, clarinet, vocals); Alan Marshall (tenor, soprano sax); Neville Hartley (trombone, vocals); Carl Peacock (keys); Alan Rudd (bass); Tommy Graham (drums).

How can I sit back and write impartially about this afternoon's seafront session at the CCC?

Firstly, I drew 3 prize winning numbers in the raffle although I did put the Easter Eggs back up for grabs and, secondly, Olive sang two of my favourite songs - How'd You Like to Love me? and I Wished on the Moon which was, in truth, better than winning the vintage (ish) plonk.

Classic Swing have a vast repertoire that is rarely repeated and, in Olive, they have a singer who can hold her own with anyone working her side of the street.

Not that Olive is the only one in the band who can hold a tune. Jim McBriarty, in between blowing clarinet or alto sax, invariably pops up to do a little crooning. This afternoon, amongst others, he delighted us with an obscure Glenn Miller number made famous by Helen O'Connell with the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra - I'm Stepping Out With a Memory Tonight

And the vocals didn't stop there. When not blowing slide trombone à la Jack T, Neville Hartley sang like the old trombone master on yet another piece de obscurity - Barefoot Boy - possibly inspired by hearing it on an old Ken Colyer record. Neville and Olive also duetted on Trombone Cholly.

Alan Marshall didn't sing (maybe he's their secret weapon yet to be unleashed) but he blew some modern sounding tenor and soprano whilst Tommy Graham punctuated the percussion when the percussion needed punctuating and Alan Rudd avoided being despatched to the doghouse by ensuring that rhythm and harmony were on the money behind Mrs Rudd's vocals.

Carl Peacock, depping for Jeremy McMurray, slotted in nicely to make this a most enjoyable day at the seaside. Lance

Classic Swing; Back in Your Own Backyard (Olive); You Can Depend on me (Olive); Strike up the Band (Jim); Barefoot Boy (Neville); Blue Lou; How'd You Like to Love me? (Olive); This Can't be Love; You Were Meant For me (Olive); Trombone Cholly (Olive/Neville); I'm Stepping Out With a Memory Tonight (Jim); Tangerine; I Wished on the Moon (Olive); When You're Smiling (Olive).

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