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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, April 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

17945 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 266 of them this year alone and, so far, 22 this month (April 8).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Thu 10: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.CANCELLED!
Thu 10: Magpies of Swing @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £7.00. A Globe fundraiser (all proceeds to the venue).
Thu 10: Exhaust: Camila Nebbia/Kit Downes/Andrew Lisle @ Jesmond URC, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:30pm doors). £13.20., £11.00. JNE.
Thu 10: Jeremy McMurray & the Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Feat. guests Ray Dales & Jackie Summers.

Fri 11: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 11: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 11: John Rowland Trio: The Music of Ben Webster @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Rowland (tenor sax); Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass).
Fri 11: Imelda May @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 11: Shunyata Improvisation Group @ Cullercoats Watch House. 7:30-9:00pm. Free (donations).

Sat 12: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 12: Rob Heron & the Tea Pad Orchestra + House of the Black Gardenia + King Bees @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 6:30pm (doors). £18.00.
Sat 12: Bright Street Big Band @ Washington Arts Centre. 6:30pm. £12.00. Event includes swing dance taster session, DJ dance session. Bright Street Big Band on stage 7:30-8:15pm & 8:45-9:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Sat 12: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 12: Imelda May @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £42.20. SOLD OUT!
Sat 12: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 13: Daniel John Martin with Swing Manouche @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 13: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 13: Hejira: A Celebration of Joni Mitchell @ Wylam Brewery, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £22.50.
Sun 13: Wilkinson/Edwards/Noble + Chojnacki @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £13.20., £11.00. JNE.

Mon 14: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 14: Zoë Gilby Quintet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 15: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 16: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 16: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 16: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED!

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

Friday, November 04, 2022

The Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone - Nov. 3

David Gray (trombone, trumpet, vocals); Lawrence McBriarty (trombone, vocals); Brian Bennett (banjo); Paul Grainger (double bass)

The Holystone pub, Thursdays, it's the Vieux Carré Jazzmen. Over the years the line-up has evolved, the present outfit led, as ever, by Brian Bennett, aided and abetted by veteran trombonist Lawrence McBriarty and two recent recruits, string bass man Paul Grainger and 'Showtime', that's the adaptable 'boneman, trumpeter and aspiring vocalist, David Gray. 

This week's session focussed upon Showtime - when doesn't a session feature the multi-talented musician?! Avalon for starters, Home, then an unlikely Bad Moon Rising (Creedence Clearwater Revival), Showtime switching from one horn to the other, vocals all the while. More regular fayre included It's a Sin to Tell a Lie, Cheek to Cheek (a non-dancing Showtime, although knowing David he could probably do a convincing Fred Astaire) and, at the request of Lawrence McBriarty, Out of Nowhere. Mr McBriarty showed Showtime that he too, is no slouch in the vocal stakes singing Dallas Blues. Mr PG (Paul Grainger) grabbed an occasional solo and boss man Bennett held it all together. 

Time was pressing, Classic Jazz Party duties were looming. time to drink up a London Pride and move on to the Village Hotel. Russell
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3 comments :

Brian Bennett said...

There’s a terrific documentary currently available on Netflix showing never-before-seen footage of John Fogerty’s CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL in concert at the Royal Albert Hall. Narrated by American film actor, Jeff Bridges, the documentary looks into the modest beginnings and meteoric rise of the band. Dave Gray’s version of Fogerty’s ‘Bad Moon Rising’ was (in my slightly slanted opinion) terrific. It’s a fab song with poignant lyrics which can be read as a portent of Hurricane Katrina and the devastating floods which hit New Orleans in 2005.

Friday, November 04, 2022 11:25:00 pm
Barry Aitchison said...

I go there most Thursdays. The vintage jazz, and the venue, is great. It is deserving of a larger audience. (Content edited),

Sunday, November 06, 2022 10:13:00 am
Brian Bennett said...

Barry Aitchison is quite right in saying the Holystone pub is a great venue. It is. However, the pub car park now has a ‘Numberplate Recognition System’ in place which requires customers arriving by car to enter their vehicle registration number into a tablet located on the bar. Failing to do so can result a £100 fine. Other pubs in the area including The Corner House in Heaton have also adopted this system to ensure that their car parking facilities are used by ‘customers only’. Sadly, many bone fide customers park up and either don’t notice the warning signage/instructions or simply forget to register. When that happens they don’t come back. It’s a worrying trend.

Sunday, November 06, 2022 11:22:00 am

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