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Bebop Spoken There

Steve Coleman: ''If you don't keep learning, your mind slows down. Use it or lose it''. (DownBeat, January 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

17733 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 53 of them this year alone and, so far, 53 this month (Jan. 20).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Wed 22: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 22: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 22: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 22: Pasadena Roof Orchestra @ Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm.

Thu 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free. Fortnightly.
Thu 23: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Obituaries 2024.
Thu 23: Jason Isaacs @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:30-6:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Thu 23: Pedal Point Trio @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 24: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Creakin’ Bones & the Sunday Dinners @ Lindisfarne Social Club, Wallsend. 9:00pm. Admission: TBC. Jazz, blues , jump jive, rock ‘n’ roll.

Sat 25: Boys of Brass @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:30-5:30pm. Free.
Sat 25: New '58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson's Wharf, Hartlepool. 6:30pm (doors). Free. A Burns' Night event. Jazz, swing, funk, soul, blues etc.
Sat 25: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 25: Red Kites Jazz @ Parish Hall, St Barnabas’ Church, Rowlands Gill. 7:30pm. £10.00. BYOB (tea & coffee available), raffle. Proceeds to St Barnabas’ Church. Performance feat. Shayo (vocals).
Sat 25: Jack & Jay’s Songbook @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Graham Hardy Eclectic Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 26: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 26: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:30pm. Free.
Sun 26: Gratkowski, Tramontana, Beresford, Affifi @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.
Sun 26: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 27: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 28: ???

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Thu 30: Matters Unknown (aka Jonathan Enser, Nubiyan Twist) + support TBA @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £12.22 (gig & food); £9:04 (gig only).
Thu 30: Soznak @ The Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 30: Struggle Buggy @ Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Rhythm & blues.

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

Thursday, June 08, 2023

Ten of the best from Tubby Hayes.

Today marks the 50th anniversary of the death of Tubby Hayes - indisputably this country's best ever jazz musician be it on tenor sax, flute or vibes.

I was fortunate enough to see him live either as part of the Jazz Couriers, the group he co-led with Ronnie Scott or with his own quartet  or quintet.

I've set myself the impossible task of picking out my ten favourite albums (in chronological order) which, after constantly changing my mind, ended up as the following:

Tubby Hayes: The Little Giant. I'm unashamedly cheating here as this is actually a 4 CD set that covers his early years (1954-56) with the big bands of Vic Lewis and Jack Parnell as well as smaller groups with Jimmy Deuchar, Dizzy Reece and Victor Feldman.

The Jazz Couriers: Live at the Dominion Theatre. The Couriers were without doubt the best modern small group in the UK at the time (1958) with Scott and Tubbs displaying the mastery of their instruments.

Tubby Hayes: The Eighth Wonder. Recorded a month after the previous album, by the wonders of multi-tracking Tubby plays 2 altos, 3 tenors, baritone, vibes and piano on three tracks. Truly wonderful. There's also a further nine tracks recorded a year later (1959) by his quartet (Shannon, Clyne and Seaman).

Tubby Hayes: Tubbs. The quartet, this time with with Bill Eydon on drums, plus some big band tracks and a great version on vibes of The Folks Who Live on the Hill. 1961.

Tubby Hayes and the All Stars: Return Visit. Tubby's second visit to New York saw him teamed up with Roland Kirk, Jimmy Gloomy (James Moody), Walter Bishop Jr., Sam Jones and Louis Hayes - five of the city's finest. He proved that he too was world class. 1962.

Tubby Hayes Quintet: A tribute: TUBBS. Recorded live in 1963 at the Dancing Slipper, Nottingham, the quintet of Tubby, Deuchar, Shannon, Freddy Logan and Allan Ganley are in fine form.

Tubby Hayes Quintet: Live at Ronnie Scott's. The same quintet are showcased on this vinyl recording from 1964. Blues and Modes Parts 1 and 2 occupy the two sides of the album. 1964.

Tubby Hayes: Live at the Hopbine featuring Tommy Whittle. I visited the Hopbine quite often when I made periodic trips to London. I did once see Tubbs and Tommy there but I don't know if it was this one or a different one altogether! I do remember enjoying the contrasting styles of both players. 1965.

Tubby Hayes Quartet: Mexican GreenI've saved what many regard as 'the best' almost till last and, deservedly so. Mike Pyne (piano), Ron Mathewson (bass), Tony Levin (drums). The influence of John Coltrane, who'd just died was evident and Tubby Hayes had never been one to rest on his laurels as this 1967 album proves.

Tubby Hayes Quartet: Live at the Hopbine 1968 Vol 1. Another vinyl gem this time with Louis Stewart on guitar, Kenny Baldock on bass and Spike Wells on drums.

Any of the above albums are a testimony to the greatness of a legend who left us 50 years ago aged just 38.

For more on Tubby Hayes check out Simon Spillett's The Long Shadow of the Little Giant. Lance 

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