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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.

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!

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.

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

Saturday, June 17, 2023

Customs House Big Band @ the Customs House, South Shields - June 16

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times* and the best of times were at the Customs House in South Shields where the band who were originally formed as a community band at the historic building  returned to where it all began for their annual concert.

CHBB don't cover the big band legends such as Miller, Goodman, Shaw, Basie,  Ellington, Herman or Kenton but lean more towards Sammy Nestico and Gordon Goodwin who seem to be the buzz names on the current big band scene. 

The opening It's Alright With me swung along comfortably with  solos from Marshall and Bentham as well as a 'handbags at dawn' duel between the pair.

More alto solos from Marshall  on A Wonderful Day Like Today and Indiana, the latter having some precision section work by the saxes, before it was time for the ever popular Ruth Lambert to sing a couple of numbers.

Ruth, wearing a glitzy, green gown and looking as glam as ever took the tried and tested route of I Get a Kick Out of You and Mambo Italiano drawing molto applausi from the audience.

Guitarist Johnston composed and arranged I Miss You which had a fine flugelhorn solo by Robinson as well as good guitar by the composer.

After Horace Silver's Song For my Father, Ruth returned for Too Darn Hot and Teach me Tonight before the set finished with Pavanne and Goodwin's There's the Rub.

A quick slurp of Swedish Blonde in the Steamboat then back across the cobbles for the second set and time for me to hold up my hand and confess that Summertime isn't such a bad tune after all - not when it's played like this! An uptempo blast that included an excellent, stompingly fine tenor solo by Joanne Adams.

Moonlight in Vermont as a bossa featured Bentham and Maynard Ferguson's Spirit of  St Frederick (as we were in South Shields it could have been re-titled Spirit of Frederick St) had some high notes from Cracket.

Ruth gave us Fever, Embraceable You and later on Get Happy. Other numbers during this second set were Fall Madness, Brush Taps (Paul Smith feature), When You're Smiling and Charlie the Whale.

The evening finished with Ruth singing Alright, Okay, You Win. It had been a good concert held together by MD Morgan's laconic introductions to the various numbers. See you again next year. Lance.

*The worst of times? At the bus stop when a guy who hadn't been to the concert but had seemingly done several laps around the local hostelries regurgitated the contents of his evening out missing my suede shoes by inches!

Stephen Cracket, Ian Robinson, Ben Chinery, Alan Catherall (trumpets, flugel); Dave Brocklesby, Eddie Bellis. Michael Fletcher (trombones); Peter Morgan (bass trombone, MD); Alan Marshall (alto sax, soprano sax, Flute);  Sue Hurrell (alto sax); Josh Bentham, Joanne Adams (tenor sax); Chris Kaberry (bari sax); John Stephenson (piano); Bradley Johnston (guitar); Paul Carr (bass guitar); Paul Smith (drums); Ruth Lambert (vocals).

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