Bebop Spoken There

Christian McBride: ''We knew back in the day that Emmet [Cohen] had it.'' (DownBeat July, 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

18680 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 544 of them this year alone and, so far this month (July 3) 8

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

July

Sun 05: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 05: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Feat. guest Kevin Eland (trumpet).
Sun 05: Michael Woods @ Cycle Hub, Quayside, Ouseburn. 1:30-2:30pm & 3:15-4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues guitar. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sun 05: Lydia Rae Quintet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Rae (vocals); Sam Lightwing (alto sax, tenor sax); Ben Lawrence (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Sun 05: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 05: Storytellers Street Band @ Ouseburn Woodland, Ouseburn. 5:00-6:00pm. Free. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sun 05: Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 05: Jambone @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:15-9:45pm. Free but ticketed.

Mon 06: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 06: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Tue 07: Alan Law Trio @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:30pm. Free.
Tue 07: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Ben Lawrence (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Tue 07: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 08: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 08: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 08: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 08: Sax on the Tyne @ St George’s Church, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £8.00. Feat. Sax on the Tyne & St George’s Community Choir.
Wed 08: Abbie Finn Trio @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.

Thu 09: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 09: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 09: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Fri 10: Swing Manouche @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00.
Fri 10: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 10: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 10: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 10: Olly Styles & Jacob Egglestone @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 10: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 10: Archipelago @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 7:00pm . New album fundraiser gig.
Fri 10: King Bees @ Rebel Yell, Nelson St., Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. Chicago blues.

Sat 11: Spanish City Rollers @ Community Stage: Mouth of the Tyne Festival, Front Street, Tynemouth. 12 noon. Free.
Sat 11: Jazz Stage: Mouth of the Tyne Festival (o/s Tynemouth Priory), Tynemouth. Free. Vieux Carré Hot 4 (12 noon); Rendezvous Jazz (1:00pm); Castillo Nuevo Trio (2:00pm); Classic Swing (3:00pm); Abbie Finn Trio (4:00pm). Day 1/2.
Sat 11: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man + Adam Millington @ St John’s Chapel, Town Hall, Weardale DL13 1QF. 5:00pm (doors). £16.26., £10.84., £8.67., £5.42 (under 18).
Sat 11: Milne Glendinning Band @ Langley Tracks, Langley-on-Tyne. 5:30pm.
Sat 11: Society Quartet @ Hilton Garden Inn, Sunderland. 6:30pm.
Sat 11: Karberry Big Band @ Forest Hall Social Club. 7:00pm. £7.00.
Sat 11: Ray Quinn: The King of Swing @ The Phoenix Theatre, Blyth. 7:30pm.

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                      

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