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Bebop Spoken There

Trevor Mires: ''My mum is a Dean Martin fan: I'm not, so I would grab my skateboard and get out of the house whenever I heard "Everybody Loves Somebody, Sometime." ". (Jazzwise, 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

17957 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 278 of them this year alone and, so far, 34 this month (April 14).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

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!

Thu 17: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Only Six Standards.
Thu 17: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 18: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 18: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 18: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.

Fri 18: Alexia Gardner @ Fika Gallery, Oldgate, Morpeth NE61 1LT. 7:00pm. Trio (Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy).RESCHEDULED FOR JUNE 13

Fri 18: Sarah Jane Morris & Tony Remy: The Sisterhood @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £25.00.

Sat 19: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-3:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 19: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 19: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 20: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 20: Salty Dog @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 20: Spilt Milk @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 20: Tweed River Jazz Band @ The Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 20: C.A.L.I.E @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 21: Newcastle Record Fair @ Copthorne Hotel, Newcastle. 10:00am. Going in search of the Buddy Bolden cylinder…
Mon 21: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. 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, March 27, 2023

Musicians Unlimited @ The Park Inn, Hartlepool - March 26

Teesside's premier big band has once again settled into the Park Inn. A recent tour of prospective alternative venues resulted in Mick Donnelly and co deciding to return on a permanent basis to the Park Road hostelry. The band sets up, the punters turn up, and sometime shortly after one o'clock MD Donnelly gets thing under way. A simple formula and it's a winning one. All seats taken, band vocalist Jan Spencelayh was pressed into action from the down beat. Fascinating Rhythm was a new chart for Musicians Unlimited (the Ella version) and all, not least Jan, came through with flying colours.

Bill Watson (trumpet) and Josh Bentham (tenor sax) featured on I've Found a New Baby, all sections firing, including the trombones, shorn of it's bass 'bone man who happened to be stationary somewhere on the A19 thanks to an earlier accident further down the road. Jan was to have a busy afternoon, returning to the stage to sing Too Marvelous for Words. Our vocalist could be heard loud and clear, no mean feat standing in front of a swinging big band with the trumpet section blowing into your left ear!

The MU ensemble had some fun on Más Que Nada before Jan stepped up once more singing What a Difference a Day Makes, later knocking out Sway, Our Love is Here to Stay, He's a Tramp and a surprise, a pleasant one at that, the Stealers Wheel chart hit Stuck in the Middle with You. The band, still without the base 'bone, mixed it up with Lullaby of Broadway (veteran Ray Dales, alto sax, showing he's still got it), Sammy Nestico's Switch in Time, On a Clear Day (Bill Watson, flugelhorn, and tenor man Josh Bentham producing two of the afternoon's many highlights) and the closer, Jim Martin's arrangement of Sweet Georgia Brown. Russell         

Mick Donnelly (MD); ?, ?, Kevin Eland, Bill Watson (trumpets); ?, John Day, ?, (trombones); Ray Dales, Kim Skerritt (alto sax); Josh Bentham, Barbara Fagan (tenor sax); Jill Nelson (baritone sax); Ian Bosworth (guitar); Gary Hadfield (piano); Ron Smith (bass guitar); John Bradford (drums); Jan Spencelayh (vocals)

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