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: 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

Friday, April 14, 2023

Bob Dawbarn in Dent.

Back in 1989 (seems like only yesterday) I did some cycle touring/boozing in the Yorkshire Dales. My overnight base was in Dent (now seemingly in Cumbria), possibly the most picturesque village in the world.

The village had two lovely pubs - The Sun and The George and Dragon - both of which I frequented after a hard day cycling up and down the many gradients which, if not mountains, were certainly more than hills.

In the village there was a bookshop, which I now find that, after Googling, it seems to be long gone - well done Google/Amazon etc!

However, in 1989 the online, Putin-like, invasion of normality had yet to achieve the world dominance that Hitler and co fell short on.

I had a long chat with the shop's owner and when the J word was mentioned we were joined at the hip!

Turned out that this was none other than Bob Dawbarn, former trombonist with Mick Mulligan's Magnolia Jazz Band. He had become, by then, a pop/rock columnist for MM as well as moving onto other lines of business but it was an interesting, and memorable occasion.

Unfortunately, I'd left my camera in the Sun Inn so I don't have a memento of this auspicious meeting as the following day the shop was closed until the weekend by which time I'd long pedalled off into the blue.

There's very little about Dawbarn on Google other than this Guardian article which doesn't mention the bookshop in Dent. Maybe I'm imagining all this - can any readers clarify? Lance

3 comments :

Peter Bevan said...

Enjoyed reading this anecdote although I can't add any more about Bob or the bookshop.
But, you might want to amend your typo in the heading (and apologies for any of mine, my fingers are all over the place tonight).
Peter

Lance said...

Thanks Peter now corrected.

Roly said...

Lovely story. You should start writing your memoirs if you haven't already. Incidentally, I'm just reading the biography of Norman Cornish the Spennymoor artist. It's following attending a couple of talks about him. I hadn't appreciated just how great he was.

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