Bebop Spoken There

David Bailey (photographer): ''When I was 16 I wanted to look like Chet Baker. He was my idol - him and James Dean.'' (Talking Pictures documentary : Four beats to the bar and no cheating April, 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

18469 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 333 of them this year alone and, so far this month (April 27 ) 67

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

From This Moment On

April

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 29: Long/Remon/Zilker @ The Ship Isis, Sunderland. 7:00pm. £10.00. + £1.00. bf. Tom Remon plays Irish folk!
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 29: Hackney Colliery Band @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. £25.00.

Thu 30: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: International Jazz Day & JANE AGM.
Thu 30: Duke Junction @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00. Nadim Teimoori (tenor sax); Jeff Hewer (guitar); Martin Longhawn (organ); Steve Hanley (drums). An International Jazz Day event & the 12th anniversary of Newcastle Jazz Co-op acquiring the Globe!

May

Fri 01: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 01: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 01: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 01: Bede Wind Band + East Coast Swing Band @ Cullercoats Methodist Church. 7:30pm. £10.00. Tickets from: www.ticketsource.com, members of Bede Wind Band & at the door. Memorial concert for Anne-Marie Purvis, who was a member of both ensembles. All proceeds to Tiny Lives Trust.
Fri 01: Louis Louis Louis @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £15.00.

Sat 02: Midnite Follies Orchestra @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £20.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club. All-star line-up.
Sat 02: Knats Masterclass & Jam II @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 1:00-3:00pm. £15.00.
Sat 02: Shannon Pearl + John Pope & John Garner @ Langley Tracks, Langley on Tyne NE47 5LA. 5:30pm (doors). £15.00. + £1.50. bf. ‘Witch-pop’ + Pope & Garner.
Sat 02: Knats + Nauta @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £17.51., £14.33., £11.16.
Sat 02: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 03: Chilcott Jazz Mass @ St George’s Church, Jesmond, Newcastle. 9:30am. Free. Sung communion with Parish Choir (featuring Bob Chilcott’s music). A Jesmond Community Festival event.
Sun 03: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 03: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Feat. guest Mark Toomey (alto sax).
Sun 03: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 03: Tom Waits for No Man @ Oxygenic, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm (2:30pm doors). Neckties and Boxing Gloves album launch. £14.00 (gig & a CD); £8.00 (gig only).
Sun 03: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 03: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £3.76.
Sun 03: John Pope & John Garner @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00.

Mon 04: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 04: Pete Tanton’s Cuban Heels @ The Library, South Parade, Whitley Bay. 2:00-4:00pm. Free.
Mon 04: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 05: Leah Kirk (voice): Final Year Music Recital @ The Band Room, Music Studios, Assembly Lane, Newcastle University. 2:30pm. Free, open to the public.
Tue 05: Jenny Baker (voice): Final Year Music Recital @ The Band Room, Music Studios, Assembly Lane, Newcastle University. 4:20pm. Free, open to the public.
Tue 05: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Tue 05: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.

Wednesday, August 02, 2023

The Black Swan jam session - August 1

The first day of August, blazing hot weather (not), schools out, students backpacking across the globe, would anyone turn out for this evening's Black Swan jam session? As the doors opened at seven o'clock the rain just about held off and by the half past the hour the usual faces had taken their seats, one or two newcomers too. 

Ben Phillips, Paul Grainger and Mark Robertson opened the show with two or three tunes - Solar, Night and Day, Stellar by Starlight - before opening the floor to whoever fancied doing their thing. Front row Kate O'Neill threw in her metaphorical hat, singing a couple including My One and Only Love. 

It had been a while since Paul Ruddick ventured down the stairs to the Black Swan jam. This evening our alto saxophonist brought along young Shivan Ruddick, a trumpeter in the making. Ruddick Snr. called Roland Kirk's Serenade to a Cuckoo. Now there's a tune! Considering this was Shivan's jam session debut he did more than alright - one to watch.

In marked contrast, in his own inimitable style, jam session veteran Ian Drever sang Somewhere Over the Rainbow. The Newcastle Arts Centre's foundations remained intact, but only just. Our singer's second offering - The Lady is a Tramp - benefitted from some blistering trumpet playing from occasional jam session participant Michael Lamb. Paul Gowland, blowing alto, opted to play Bill Evans' Very Early. House pianist Ben Phillips didn't know the number, you'd never have guessed - a real pro is Mr P.  

An interlude of sorts...with the absence of a depping bass player, Paul Grainger welcomed the opportunity to take five, introducing a cameo performance by neo-soul singer Georgia May. Our self-styled 'Nigeordian' (Nigerian Geordie!), accompanied by pianist Daps, this was something a little different. Daps solo piano rendition of Misty silenced the room, a rare occurrence in itself, a special moment.



Another bottle of Rivet Catcher, strangely, your correspondent's note-taking became all the more indecipherable. They were queuing up - the Harrison Brothers (guitarists Charles and Laurence), pianist Alon Dagon, graduate drummer Bailey Rudd (the personable Rudd is staying on in the region to undertake MA studies), Haaruun Miller on tenor, there may have been others. Twenty minutes to go, MC Grainger thought there was time to fit in two more. Best laid plans...all got up, off they went blowing on Impressions. Big solos and (with all dropping out) a magnificent, eyeballs-out exchange between Laurence Harrison and Mark Robertson. 

Not only is the Black Swan jam session the best free show in town, it's the jam session you dare not miss!  Russell                  

Ben Phillips (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Mark Robertson (drums) + (more or less in order of appearance) Kate O'Niell (vocals); Paul Ruddick (alto sax); Shivan Ruddick (trumpet); Kris Finney (drums); Ian Drever (vocals); Michael Lamb (trumpet); Paul Gowland (alto sax); Georgia May (vocals); Daps (piano); Charles Harrison (guitar); Alon Dagan (piano); Bailey Ruud (drums); David Gray (trombone, vocals); Edgar Bell (trumpet); Ray Burns (harmonica); Haaruun Miller (tenor sax); Laurence Harrison (guitar)
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