Bebop Spoken There

Joe Alterman: ''All I wanted to do growing up was to sound like Erroll Garner playing "Poor Butterfly." I thought that was the coolest sound I'd ever heard.'' (DownBeat November, 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

19,086 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 950 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Nov. 7) 20.

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

November

Wed 11: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 11: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 11: Plague Doctors Cure All + Noonward @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 8:00pm. JNE.

Thu 12: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 12: JANE @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 12: MoonMot + Jack Banjo’s Snackwall @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 12: Ratio: Swingin’ Through the Decades @ The Forum, Darlington. 8:00pm (7:30pm doors). £10.00. A charity fundraiser.
Thu 12: Look Left @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £8.00.
Thu 12: Michael Woods @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free (donations). Acoustic blues.

Fri 13: Giles Strong Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. Giles Strong (guitar); Dean Stockdale (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Fri 13: Lapwing Trio @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Richard Herdman, Nick Bagnell, Paula Whitty.
Fri 13: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free. CANCELLED! Returns next week (Fri 20th).
Fri 13: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Northern Monkey Brass Band @ Hexham Lantern Parade, Bandstand, Sele, Hexham. 6:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: Sharp Collective @ Dry Water Arts, Amble. 7:00pm.
Fri 13: East Coast Swing Band @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:30pm.
Fri 13: Guisborough Big Band @ Saltburn Golf Club. 7:30pm. Tickets: £15.00 (inc. pie & peas

Sat 14: Lianne Carroll: Jazz Vocal Weekend Workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 9:30am-5:00pm. £95.00. Day 1/2. SOLD OUT!
Sat 14: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 14: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm (6:30pm doors). £13.20 (inc. bf); £11.00 concs (inc. bf).
Sat 14: Red Kites Jazz @ Staiths Café, Gateshead. 7:00pm.
Sat 14: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Tweed Gallery, Berwick. 7:30pm. Free.

Sun 15: Lianne Carroll: Jazz Vocal Weekend Workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 9:30am-5:00pm. Day 2/2. SOLD OUT!
Sun 15: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 15: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 15: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ The Waiting Room, Eaglescliffe. 7:00pm. £48.18 (to include dinner); £17.43 (concert only).
Sun 15: Sarah Gillespie & Chris Montague @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £18.00.
Sun 15: Liane Carroll @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00. Solo performance. SOLD OUT!

Mon 16: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 17: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Jacob Egglestone, Paul Grainger, Joe Deans.
Tue 17: Grammy Season (Laubrock/Seabrook/Lovato/Rainey) @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 8:00pm. JNE.

Tuesday, November 14, 2023

The Classic Jazz Party @ The Village Hotel, North Tyneside - Nov. 5 (afternoon)

(© Malcolm Sinclair)
The Charleston, Bob Crosby, Fats Waller, Stuff Smith, Sunday afternoon's schedule at the Classic Jazz Party promised riches and no little variety. The early birds were up and about early queuing to get into the festival's makeshift cinema to secure a seat for Doc Bastide's third and final film presentation. The jazz proper began at noon with Mike Davis leading the charge on The Charleston Chasers - New York Studio Gems. Davis was joined for the occasion by German trumpeter Jan Kaiser, the elegant Alistair Allan (trombone), Michael McQuaid (reeds), the elegant pianist Martin Litton, Spats Langham playing banjo and guitar, CJP favourite Malcolm Sked (tuba and string bass) and drummer Josh Duffee. 

From the Charleston Chasers to Not the Charleston - Songs Inspired by Dance Crazes. The printed programme emphasised this session wouldn't be about the Charleston. US pianist Andrew Oliver presented a set focusing upon 20s' dance tunes which weren't the Charleston (the dance craze of its day). Andy Schumm (cornet), Phil Rutherford (tuba) and Nick Ball (drums) were in on the fun. 

(© Malcolm Sinclair)
The 'Bob Crosby Orchestra', as directed by Michael McQuaid, performed charts by Crosby's full ensemble which have been somewhat neglected - until now! 
Stomp Off, Let's Go - Bob Crosby & His Orchestra wowed a full house, and little wonder given the calibre of musician on stage. McQuaid's erudite presentation didn't go unnoticed and the likes of Malo Mazurié, Enrico Tomasso and Jan Kaiser (trumpets), Lorenzo Baldasso and Matthias Seuffert (reeds), David Boeddinghaus (piano), Félix Hunot (banjo, guitar) and Josh Duffee (drums) guaranteed a musical feast. One of the highlights of the weekend.

(© Malcolm Sinclair)
Nicolle Rochelle - songs from the Early 40s did what it said on the tin. The basis of vocalist Rochelle's set was songs associated with John Kirby and various singers, including Maxine Sullivan, Una Mae Carlisle and Judy Ellington. Messrs Mazurié, Boeddinghaus and Lemaire were on the session, simply top class. From Paris (Nicolle Rochelle) to Chicago and Andy Schumm. Usually associated with the cornet and/or trumpet, not forgetting the reeds, Schumm's set titled Schumm Plays Fats heard our man at the piano and playing cornet. Our American researched Fats Waller's organ solos and unrecorded material for full orchestra. Yes, the Classic Jazz Party is one for the aficionado and anyone else who likes great music!

(© Malcolm Sinclair)
Emma Fisk and Rico Tomasso transported us back  to the 1930s and the collaboration of Stuff Smith and Jonah Jones. Onyx Club Spree - the Music of Stuff Smith featured Fisk (violin) and Tomasso (trumpet) playing hot 'n' swinging numbers supported by an ace band - David Boeddinghaus (piano), Jacob Ullberger (guitar), Henry Lemaire (bass) and Josh Duffee (drums). Terrific!

To close the Sunday afternoon programme we were invited to take a seat in Smalls Paradise, Harlem for Echoes of Paradise - Charlie Johnson. Classic numbers, diligently researched by Claus Jacobi, were dispatched by an all-star ensemble, including Americans Andy Schumm (cornet) and Andrew Oliver (piano), Michael McQuaid and and David Horniblow (reeds), Phil Rutherford (tuba), Nick Ball (drums) and, once more, singer Nicolle Rochelle. A fine end to an interesting afternoon series of performances. We wandered out of the Village Hotel in search of a welcoming local hostelry. The dark skies illuminated by fireworks (it was Guy Fawkes), the Classic Jazz Party's final session would soon be upon us. Russell                      
at

No comments :

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments ( Atom )

Blog Archive