Bebop Spoken There

Ron Carter quoting Sonny Rollins: ''What we call jazz - that's keeping the world in equilibrium. I don't care what kind of music you like out here today. It all comes from jazz.'' (DownBeat August, 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

18799 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 663 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 12) 32.

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

From This Moment On

August

Sat 15: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 15: Jake Leg Jug Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £16.26.

Sun 16: Vintage Explosion @ Cliffe Park, Roker, Sunderland SR6 8DB. 5:00-10:30pm. £44.00 (inc. bf).

Mon 17: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 20: Edson Angus Quartet @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 20: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Fri 21: Andrzej Baranek Trio @ The Lit & Phil. 1:00pm. £8.00. Andrzej Baranek (piano); Josh Cavanagh-Brierley (double bass); Dave Walsh (drums). SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: David Gray Flextet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.
Fri 21: Errol Linton & His Band + Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. Excellent blues double bill.

Saturday, July 09, 2022

Mouth of the Tyne Festival Day One - The Jazz Stage

It was hot, hot, hot and the music, the company, the weather, the food and the ale combined to make the first day of the Mouth of the Tyne Festival the place to be.

On the Jazz Stage, Zoë Gilby (vocal) and Mark Williams (guitar) entertained the gradually building crowd with their unique interpretations of standards and originals. Some may have bemused the predominantly non-jazz crowd but the applause at the end suggested that there were maybe a few converts. Unfortunately, the blinding sunshine and the darkened stage made taking photos a hit and miss affair so apologies - where's Ken or Malcolm when you need them?.

By way of complete contrast, the Vieux Carré Jazzmen - Brian Bennett (banjo); Jim McBriarty (clarinet/soprano sax/vocals); Lawrence McBriarty, David 'Showtime' Gray (trombone/vocals); Paul Grainger (bass); Paul Thompson (drums) - took us down to New Orleans with a boisterous selection of rags, blues and stomps from the early days of jazz up to the 1930s.

It was good fun with all three of the frontline sharing the vocals. Good also to hear Paul Thompson on drums. Son of the band's previous drummer Fred Thompson he did his dad proud although he has yet, unlike Fred, to unleash his vocal talents!

Next up was Harmony Brass - Herbie Hudson (trombone/vocals); Jim McBriarty (clarinet/sop sax/vocals); Brian Chester (keys); John Robinson (bass). This was more Dixieland than New Orleans and none the worse for that with Jim McBriarty providing the link. However, by this time the heat was becoming too much for me so I had to seek shelter in the shade of a nearby tavern for a hamburger and a cooling draught of ale so I didn't take notes although I seem to recall hearing Beale St. Blues and The Preacher.

I should have got back into the game for the Ruth Lambert Quartet but too much sun threatened to render me hors de combat so I reluctantly headed for home. Ruth - catch you next Sunday in Fenham. Lance.

PS: Doing it all again tomorrow! Same setting, different cast.

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