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Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: '' A Love Supreme coincided with my search for meaning in life". (DownBeat, March 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

17873 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 194 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (March 14).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free. CANCELLED PERMANENTLY!
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Nicknames.
Thu 20: Terri Green Experience @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £15.90.
Thu 20: King Bees @ The Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Superb blues band.
Thu 20: Lindsay Hannon Trio @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Hannon’s ‘Tom Waits for No Man’ set.
Thu 20: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:30pm. Free.

Fri 21: Paul Skerritt @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 21: Giles Strong Quartet @ 1719, Hendon, Sunderland. 7:30pm. CANCELLED!
Fri 21: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Featuring special guest Martin Litton (piano).

Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30pm-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 22: Swamp Stomp String Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Sat 22: Rivkala @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sun 23: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 23: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Mississippi MacDonald @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. Blues.
Sun 23: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: The Great Deceivers @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Tom Atkinson & co play King Crimson (1969-1974). Atkinson (guitar); Josh Bentham (alto sax); Stu Dawson (bass); Jeff Armstrong (drums).

Mon 24: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 24: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 25: Fred Wesley & the New JB’s @ The Cluny. 7:30pm (doors). £27.50. POSTPONED! New date Wednesday 26 November.

Thu 27: Hannabiell & Midnight Blue @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 27: Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Superb blues duo.

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, April 03, 2022

The New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club - April. 2

Last month, after what seemed like an eternity, Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club resumed its monthly sessions at St Augustine's Parish Centre. The March session drew a sizeable crowd to hear TJ Johnson. April's concert (twice rescheduled) similarly attracted a large turn out to the Larchfield Street venue to hear the New Century Ragtime Orchestra. As the ensemble ambled onto stage at least one new recruit was seen taking his seat in the reeds. As usual, the NCRO invited one or two special guests to participate in the day's performance.  

Jazz club organisers welcomed the band onto stage as the New Orleans Ragtime Orchestra. Not quite a faux pas, nevertheless the NCRO's MC Steve Andrews wasn't about to miss an open goal replying: It's nice to be back here in Newton Aycliffe! And so the hilarity began, as did the music. Strictly ragtime? No, the set list ranged from ragtime to the dangerously modern swing era! Numbers by, or associated with, Duke Ellington, Fletcher Henderson, Benny Moten, Ozzie Nelson, Luis Russell, Clarence Williams and others were heard during two entertaining sets. Henderson recorded What-Cha-Call 'Em Blues in 1925, the NCRO's take on the number set the standard for the afternoon. 

A Keith Nichols' transcription of Ellington's Black Beauty heard from Dave Hignett (trumpet), Neville Hartley (trombone), Ian Wynne (piano) and Andrews playing clarinet. MC Andrews informed the audience that the ever-elegant Hartley would play Tommy Dorsey's hot solo on I'm Dancing with Tears in My Eyes with the band's 'boy crooner', Mr Jimmy McBriarty, crooning. Much well-deserved applause followed. Wynne, one of the younger members of the orchestra, delighted the full house with a sparkling Maple Leaf Rag. Long-serving NCRO band member Keith Stephen counted 'em in all afternoon and was heard to great effect on guitar on the much-loved Panama.

Second set, more Fletcher Henderson (Variety Stomp), Clarence Williams' Mountain City Blues highlighting classic jazz era percussionist Nick Ward's immaculate musicianship, Dave Hignett rising to the challenge playing Ain't Misbehavin'
, Cliff Jackson's The Terror featuring pianist Wynne (Andrews jokily asking him if he wished to be excused!) and a storming take on Ozzie Nelson's Swamp Fire (Hignett plungering, Andrews showing what he can do blowing some great hot tenor sax), and before we knew it, it was almost time to go. 

Throughout the afternoon the ensemble played as if it hadn't been in enforced hibernation, new boy Josh Bentham (Durham Alumni Big Band, Musicians Unlimited) slotting into the reeds very nicely, and all the way from Edinburgh, leader of the Edinburgh Light Orchestra, Lawrence Dunn reading the violin parts with consummate ease. Next month's Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club session (Saturday 7 May) sees the return of the great American pianist Jeff Barnhart and his Mr Men. Russell         
            
Steve Andrews (MC, tenor sax, clarinet, vocals), Jimmy McBriarty (alto sax, clarinet, vocals), Josh Bentham (alto sax, soprano sax, clarinet), Alan Marshall (tenor sax, clarinet); Dave Hignett (trumpet), Alistair Lord (trumpet, cornet); Neville Hartley (trombone); Lawrence Dunn (violin); Keith Stephen (guitar, banjo); Ian Wynne (piano); Phil Rutherford (tuba); Nick Ward (drums)

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