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HOWAY THE LADS!

Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: '' A Love Supreme coincided with my search for meaning in life". (DownBeat, March 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

17873 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 194 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (March 14).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Sat 15: Hot Teapots @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm.
Sat 15: Lagos to Longbenton + Belladonna @ Whitley Bay Big Social, Whitley Road, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free. Afrobeat/jazz fusion + soul/funk/R&B
Sat 15: Creakin’ Bones @ Billy Bootleggers. Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free.
Sat 15: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 15: Is This Jazz? @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Tickets: www.eventbrite.co.uk. Performances by Mu Quintet, Jinjé, A Brief Utopia, John Pope & Co + André Marmot (author of Unapologetic Expression: The Inside Story of the UK Jazz Explosion) in conversation + DJ sets ‘til 3:00am. ‘A Festival of New Jazz’.
Sat 15: Vintage Explosion @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Sat 15: Alligator Gumbo @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm. £15.00.
Sat 15: One Night Standards @ The White Room, Stanley. 8:00pm. £8.67 (inc. bf). Note - previously advertised Salty Dogs cancelled.
Sat 15: Howlin’ Mat @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Blues guitar.

Sun 16: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 16: Pearl Blossoms @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Ragtime.
Sun 16: Hot 8 Brass Band @ Wylam Brewery. 7:30pm. ‘Big Tuba Tour’.
Sun 16: ARQ @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 16: Air4ce @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 8:30pm (8:00pm doors). £12.00.; £10.00. Tom Atkinson’s all-star band (line-up inc. Lindsay Hannon & Sue Ferris).
Sun 16: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 17: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 17: Jamie Toms Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Laurence Harrison, Paul Grainger, Tim Johnston.
Tue 18: Phil Bancroft’s Beautiful Storm @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £13.20 & £11.00.. A JNE-Gem Arts co-promotion.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Nicknames.
Thu 20: Terri Green Experience @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £15.90.
Thu 20: Lindsay Hannon Trio @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Hannon’s ‘Tom Waits for No Man’ set.
Thu 20: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:30pm. Free.

Fri 21: Paul Skerritt @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 21: Giles Strong Quartet @ 1719, Hendon, Sunderland. 7:30pm. CANCELLED!
Fri 21: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Featuring special guest Martin Litton (piano).

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, February 17, 2023

Syd Lawrence Orchestra: Big Band Brass @ The Fire Station, Sunderland - Feb. 15

(© M. Lamb)
The popularity of the Syd Lawrence Orchestra is undiminished. The band's first visit to Sunderland's magnificent Fire Station venue attracted a large crowd. Two full one hour sets under the metaphorical baton of Chris Dean produced the goods with a programme offering something for everyone. The suited-and-booted orchestra filed onto stage to a warm Wearside welcome. From the down beat the sound balance was exceptionally good and the stage lighting ensured no one was left out of the spotlight.

The SLO line-up read like a who's who of the big band world. Between them they've been there, done that. From La Scala to the John Wilson Orchestra to stints on the QE2 to the BBC Big Band and BBC Concert Orchestra, Tony Bennett, Carnegie Hall, countless radio and television engagements, Royal Variety Performances (plural), Hollywood film soundtracks galore, yes, there's no doubting the collective pedigree. 

Opening with Stompin' at the Savoy set the standard with all sections firing, the rhythm section - pianist Trevor Brown, bassist Tom Mark and long-serving powerhouse drummer Dave Tandy - one to die for. Section leaders and soloists hit the spot. A weak link? There wasn't one. The veteran members of the band were joined for the first time by twenty two year old trumpeter Adam Neild. What a thrill it must have been for the young man standing in the section alongside Tony Dixon, Richard Freeman and hotshot Chris Snead! Sing, Sing, Sing maintained the momentum before MD Chris Dean took it down a notch, just a notch, with the introduction of vocalist Jo Marshall singing Get Me to the Church on Time. Ms Marshall remained on stage to sing Shirley Bassey's hit This is My Life. Confident, secure, the ideal vocalist to front the SLO. 

The programme was nothing if not varied: The Girl from IpanemaString of Pearls (inevitably), Chris Dean singing Tender is the Night, confiding Tony Bennett is one of his musical heroes, and another Glenn Miller winner, Pennsylvania 6-5000, audience sing-a-long all but compulsory. The second set opened with an extended James Bond medley (the trumpet section blowing for fun). More Major G. Miller - American PatrolLittle Brown Jug, then a 'left turn!' to Quincy Jones' Soul Bossa Nova featuring Emily Burkhardt (of Manager's Big Band fame) on baritone sax. 

MD Dean is no mean singer, once again demonstrating the fact with a fine take on Matt Monro's big hit Portrait of My Love. The Fire Station's audience loved every minute of the two hours and more that the Syd Lawrence Orchestra was on stage. Jo Marshall returned to sing a mellow More Than You Know, Major Miller parachuted in once more bearing gifts...Tuxedo Junction and, with the audience gently swaying, Moonlight Serenade. To close a most enjoyable evening the SLO went out Stan Kenton style. Can you hear those trumpets? They were absolutely bang on with a terrific take on The Peanut Vendor. MD Chris Dean asked the audience if the SLO should come back to Sunderland. A unanimous chorus of: Yes! suggests it could be same time next year.
Russell 
                             
     
Syd Lawrence Orchestra: Chris Dean (MD, trombone, vocals); Tony Dixon, Adam Neild, Richard Freeman, Chris Snead (trumpet); Steve Blyth (tenor sax, clarinet, bass clarinet, flute), Emily Burkhardt (alto sax, baritone sax, clarinet); Damon Oliver (tenor sax, clarinet, flute); Adrian Wilkinson (alto sax, clarinet, flute);; Tom Dunnett, Andy Watson (trombone); Trevor Brown (piano); Tom Mark (double bass); Dave Tandy (drums); Jo Marshall (vocals) 

1 comment :

Barry Aitchison said...

Chris Dean's Syd Lawrence Orchestra was amazing. From Glenn Miller to James Bond all the solos were amazing and you could hear all the different sounds from bass clarinet to double bass and piano. Chris Dean played trombone and sang on one or two numbers. The Girl From Ipanema was good. The sounds were loud enough with lots of different colours and people getting up to dance as best as they could and the band went into the audience which was good as well. If they come back I would certainly go and see them again.

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