Bebop Spoken There

Emma Rawicz: "In a couple of years I've gone from being a normal university student to suddenly being on international stages." DownBeat January 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

18246 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 100 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 31), 100

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Wed 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 04: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 04: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 05: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject:Times of the Day & Trios.
Thu 05: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Special guest Emma Wilson.
Thu 05: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 06: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 06: Durham Alumni Big Band & Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn Theatre. 7:30pm. £12.00. Two big bands on stage together!
Fri 06: Nauta + Littlewood Trio @ Little Buildings, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Double bill + jam session.
Fri 06: FILM: Made in America @ Star & Shadow Cinema, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Ornette Coleman.
Fri 06: Deep Six Blues @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm.

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.

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, December 19, 2022

This year's jazz excavations

2022 has been an exceptionally good year for previously undiscovered/unreleased gems from the archives. I've listed them alphabetically and not even attempted to put them in to any kind of pecking order although I have to confess that the Pepper Adams disc is fantastic and the Ellington one somewhat disappointing.

Strangely, apart from Mingus at Ronnie's the others are all predominately piano based. Thus we have Jamal, Evans, Hawes, Brubeck, Duke, Jarrett, Peterson and Tracey. It would take a better man than me to rate them! However, there are better men than me out there so let's hear it for your archival choices.

Ahmad Jamal: Emerald City Nights - Live At The Penthouse 1963-1964.

Ahmad Jamal: Emerald City Nights - Live At The Penthouse 1965-1966.

Bill Evans: Morning Glory - Live 1973.

Bill Evans: Inner Spirit - Live 1977.

Charles Mingus: Lost Album From Ronnie Scott's (triple disc album). Disc 1/2/3

Charles Mingus Trio w. Hampton Hawes & Danny Richmond.

Dave Brubeck: Live From Vienna 1967.

Duke Ellington - The Lost Recordings.

Keith Jarrett: Bordeaux Concert.

Oscar Peterson: On a Clear Day.

Pepper Adams w. Tommy Banks Trio: Live at the Room at the Top. 

Stan Tracey: The 1959 Sessions.

Wolfgang Lackerschmid & Chet Baker - Welcome Back.

I must point out that these are discs that came via my friendly neighbourhood postman as opposed to those that mysteriously arrive through cyberspace and then disappear into some file/folder - out of sight and out of mind. Luddites of the world unite you have nothing to lose but your downloads! Lance

2 comments :

Gordon Solomon said...

Some of the most exciting sounds I’ve heard are on the LP Lionel Hampton All Star Band at Newport ‘78. Pepper Adams is in the line up, which also includes Cat Anderson, Bob Wilbur and Doc Cheatham. For me though the best solo is from Arnett Cobb on tenor sax in On the Sunny Side of the Street. Marvellous.

Lance said...

Great tenor player. I remember him at one of the North Sea Festivals where, on crutches, he blew the other tenor players off the stage and they included Illinois Jacquet, Scott Hamilton and Budd Johnson!

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