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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

17923 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 244 of them this year alone and, so far, 91 this month (March 31).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Mon 07: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 07: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 08: ???

Wed 09: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 09: Tannery jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm.
Wed 09: Anatole Muster Trio @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £17.50., £12.50. concs.
Wed 09: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED?

Thu 10: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.CANCELLED!
Thu 10: Magpies of Swing @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £7.00. A Globe fundraiser (all proceeds to the venue).
Thu 10: Exhaust: Camila Nebbia/Kit Downes/Andrew Lisle @ Jesmond URC, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:30pm doors). £13.20., £11.00. JNE.
Thu 10: Jeremy McMurray & the Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Feat. guests Ray Dales & Jackie Summers.

Fri 11: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 11: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 11: John Rowland Trio: The Music of Ben Webster @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Rowland (tenor sax); Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass).
Fri 11: Imelda May @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 11: Shunyata Improvisation Group @ Cullercoats Watch House. 7:30-9:00pm. Free (donations).

Sat 12: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 12: Rob Heron & the Tea Pad Orchestra + House of the Black Gardenia + King Bees @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 6:30pm (doors). £18.00.
Sat 12: Bright Street Big Band @ Washington Arts Centre. 6:30pm. £12.00. Event includes swing dance taster session, DJ dance session. Bright Street Big Band on stage 7:30-8:15pm & 8:45-9:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Sat 12: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 12: Imelda May @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £42.20. SOLD OUT!
Sat 12: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 13: Daniel John Martin with Swing Manouche @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 13: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 13: Hejira: A Celebration of Joni Mitchell @ Wylam Brewery, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £22.50.
Sun 13: Wilkinson/Edwards/Noble + Chojnacki @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £13.20., £11.00. JNE.

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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