Bebop Spoken There

Christian McBride: ''I believe we are living in a historically embarrassing moment in American history.'' - Downbeat December 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

18083 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 1047 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Dec. 14), 61.

From This Moment On ...

DECEMBER 2025

Sun 21: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. ‘Xmas Swingalong’. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 21: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00-5:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ o2 City Hall, Newcastle. 6:00pm. £35.80., £33.25., £31.00.
Sun 21: The Globe Xmas Party @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Live music.
Sun 21: Tweed River Jazz Band @ The Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:30pm. Free.

Mon 22: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 23: Paul Skerritt @ Chakh Dhoom, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Indian restaurant. Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Wed 24: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 24: Alexia Gardner @ The Townhouse, Bridge St., Morpeth. 1:30-4:30pm. ‘The A Capella Sessions’. Gardner, Paula Gardner, Alexia Hope Gardner Diamany.
Wed 24: Paul Skerritt @ Mambo Wine & Dine, South Shields. 1:30pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Thu 25: Alexia Gardner @ The Townhouse, Bridge St., Morpeth. 1:30-4:00pm. ‘All About the Bass Sessions’. Alexia Gardner, Paula Gardner, Jude Murphy.

Fri 26: ???

Sat 27: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. CANCELLED!
Sat 27: Leeds City Stompers @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free.

Sun 28: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 28: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 28: Paul Skerritt @ 3 Stories, High St. West, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 28: The Society Quartet @ Hilton Garden Inn, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Jason Holcomb & co.

Mon 29: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 30: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £8.00., £7.00. adv.

Wed 31: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 31: Lil Miss Mary & the Mr Rights Trio @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. ‘Early NYE Bash’. Rockabilly, rhythm & blues.
Wed 31: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. ‘Midnight in Manhattan’ NYE party. £49.46 (inc. bf) & £29.38 (inc. bf).

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, July 18, 2022

Freddie Garner Quartet @ the Railway, Stockport - July 17

(© Jeff Pritchard)
Freddie Garner (keys); Jim Collins  (alto/tenor sax/flute); James Adolpho (bass); Phil Bennett (drums).

For a moment I thought the Railway had brought in a summer dress code with every member of the band wearing shorts and also half the audience similarly attired. I felt a bit overdressed and, if this hot weather continues, I think I’ll have to dig out the shorts I bought on an NCL Jazz Cruise many moons ago and hope I can still fit into them!

There was an almost capacity room full of jazz fans to hear Freddie and his cohorts play a dozen tunes from their vast repertoire. The first three numbers were standards then the band got into bebop mode with Wayne Shorter’s Black Nile which featured some great tenor work from Jim Collins on his recently acquired Yamaha horn. He followed this by playing alto on a McCoy Tyner ballad Aiysha -  a tune I have never heard before. He only played flute on one number, the Charles Lloyd composition Forest Flower, but he did it justice.


Freddie Garner is still, at 85 years of age, playing as well as when I first met him during those days when the Manchester jazz scene was at its height and every day you could hear modern jazz in places like the Club 43, the Black Lion, the MSG, the Bodega and the Lower Turks Head. 


Freddie however, likes to listen to present day jazz composers such as Kenny Barron and during the second set tonight we heard his version of Barron’s Voyage  a tune I heard recently at Swanage Jazz Festival played by Greg Abate who incidently is due at this venue on Sunday July 24 with Paul Hartley’s Trio. Freddie also likes the tunes composed by Wayne Shorter and tonight he  performed two of these the aforementioned Black Nile and Footprints all aided by excellent bass and drum work from James Adolpho and Phil Bennett. 


The concert concluded with a Sonny Rollins' blues Sonnymoon For Two and everyone gave the band a sitting (?) ovation. The next jazz night here is on Tuesday July 19 with guitarist Trefor Owen. Mike Farmer

 

Yesterdays; Out of This World; Weaver of Dreams; Black Nile; Aiysha; Jeannine; I Mean You; There Is No Greater Love; Voyage; Forest Flower; Footprints; Sonnymoon For Two

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