Bebop Spoken There

Jools Holland (on his 2026 spring/summer tour): ''With the mighty [R&B] Orchestra, our wonderful boogie woogie singers, and the brilliant Joe Webb opening the shows [including Darlington Hippodrome, June 19], we're in for some very special evenings of music.'' The Northern Echo February 5, 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

18263 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 117 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Feb. 6), 17

From This Moment On ...

February

Sat 07: The Big Easy @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 07: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30-3:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 07: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. St Thomas & Bésame Mucho. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 07: Side Cafe Oᴙkestar @ Café Under the Spire, Gateshead. 6:30pm. Table reservations: 0191 477 3970.
Sat 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 08: Swing Tyne @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12 noon (doors). Donations. Swing dance taster class (12:30pm) + Hot Club de Heaton (live performance). Non dancers welcome.
Sun 08: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 09: Mark Williams Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 09: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 10: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 11: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington.. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 11: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 12: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 13: Noel Dennis Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm . £9.00. Dennis (trumpet, flugelhorn); Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 13: Joe Steels @ 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: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 13: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm.
Fri 13: Tom Remon & John Moriarty @ The Ship Isis, Silksworth Row, Sunderland SR1 3QJ. 7:00pm. £10.00 + £1.00 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

Wednesday, July 13, 2022

Pete Sings Chet @ The Central Bar, Gateshead - July 11

The Central Bar Quintet: Pete Tanton (trumpet, vocals); Jamie Toms (tenor sax); Alan Law (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); John Bradford (drums)

Chet Baker Sings marked the debut vocal album by the iconic American trumpeter. Here at Central Bar on Half Moon Lane, ex-pat American trumpeter and vocalist Pete Tanton set about recreating the 1954 Pacific Jazz Records' recording. Be it 'interpretation', 'recreation', whatever, this concert performance was a joy to listen to from beginning to end. 

Pete Tanton's American accent lends itself to conjuring the whole Chet Baker image: the black and white photographs of the softly spoken, anything-but-unphotographable, West Coast Cool, Hermosa Beach Lighthouse star. Opening with But Not for Me, Tanton was on the money from the off. The Central Bar house band - Jamie Toms, Alan Law, Mick Shoulder and John Bradford - offered sympathetic support throughout. We know all four musicians are more than capable soloists and on a swelteringly hot Monday evening their individual contributions simply enhanced our enjoyment of the performance. 

Tanton sang My Funny Valentine for the first time in public. Bet your bottom US Dollar it won't be the last time! The songs from the album are irrefutably GASbook, hearing the amiable Tanton sing them - and play 'cool school' trumpet - was, quite simply, a joy.      
   
Set list: But Not for Me; Time After Time; My Funny Valentine; I Fall in Love to Easily; There Will Never Be Another You; That Old Feeling; Look for the Silver Lining. 

Jam session: The Central Bar Quintet + Ben Tanton (vocals); Patrick Cromb (drums); Tom Parry-Jones (drums)    

As usual, a jam session followed. Vocalist Patrick Cromb opted to play drums (!) and drummer Tom Parry-Jones opted to play...drums! A highlight came in the form of teenage trumpeter Ben Tanton singing - yes, singing - Minnie the Moocher. Take it as read, Tanton the Younger really can sing!  

Admission to the Central Bar concert performance (second Monday in the month) costs a mere fiver. If you intend sitting-in on the jam session you'll be admitted free of charge - now there's a bargain! August's session is on Monday 8th (starting 7:30pm sharp). Russell
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