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.

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).

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, October 03, 2022

Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club - Oct. 3

Herbie Hudson (trombone, harmonica, vocals); Brian Chester (keyboards); Dave Percy (bass); Ian Hetherington (drums) + Jim (clarinet); John Broddle, Marilyn Hunter (vocals); Ray Burns (harmonica, vocals)

If it's a Monday in Cullercoats it can mean only one thing - Jazz in the Afternoon. Hang on a minute, not any more! Now it's Harmony Brass. Why? Who knows? Frontman Herbie Hudson is the brass man, the others in the house band are pianist Brian Chester, bassist Dave Percy and drummer Ian Hetherington. Unless a trumpeter, tuba player (unlikely) or fellow 'bone man sits-in, HH takes it upon himself to polish the brass. Jazz in the AfternoonHarmony Brass, a change of name, otherwise on this Monday afternoon it was business as usual. 

The numbers were familiar, it's what the Monday regulars want to hear, the one variable being the roll call of sitters-in. This week saw the return of a more recent face at the Crescent Club, playing clarinet, 'Jim'. We'll get to know more about him once he's settled in. Two old faces, sorry guys, two 'regulars', threw their respective hats in the ring - the thinking woman's crooning crumpet, singing Ain't Misbehavin', Mr John Broddle, and Marilyn Hunter, always good for a blues, today singing Autumn Leaves.  

The raffle came and went, the second set started and guess who stepped up? Playing jazz harmonica (as opposed to blowing a mean blues harp) and singing, the one and only Ray Burns. Not seen since pre-lockdown at the Black Swan jam session, Burns, attired in tweed or such like, went down a treat with the full house, a two-harmonica spot with HH a highlight. So, there you have it, one o'clock Mondays, it's Harmony Brass.           

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