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Bebop Spoken There

Trevor Mires: ''My mum is a Dean Martin fan: I'm not, so I would grab my skateboard and get out of the house whenever I heard "Everybody Loves Somebody, Sometime." ". (Jazzwise, 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

17957 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 278 of them this year alone and, so far, 34 this month (April 14).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Tue 15: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 16: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 16: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 16: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED!

Thu 17: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Only Six Standards.
Thu 17: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 18: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 18: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 18: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.

Fri 18: Alexia Gardner @ Fika Gallery, Oldgate, Morpeth NE61 1LT. 7:00pm. Trio (Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy).RESCHEDULED FOR JUNE 13

Fri 18: Sarah Jane Morris & Tony Remy: The Sisterhood @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £25.00.

Sat 19: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-3:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 19: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 19: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 20: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 20: Salty Dog @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 20: Spilt Milk @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 20: Tweed River Jazz Band @ The Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 20: C.A.L.I.E @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 21: Newcastle Record Fair @ Copthorne Hotel, Newcastle. 10:00am. Going in search of the Buddy Bolden cylinder…
Mon 21: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

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

Wednesday, December 20, 2023

A Festive Black Swan Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle - Dec. 19

Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Michael Mather (drums) + Shivan Ruddick (trumpet), Paul Ruddick (alto sax), Hugh ? (drums), Paul Gowland (alto sax, piano), Esther Coombes (alto sax, clarinet), Alex Shipsey (bass), Kate O'Niell (vocals), Edgar Bell (cornet), Ian Drever (vocals), Becky Tuck (vocals), David Gray (trombone), Molly Birmingham (vocals), Owen Jones (double bass), Bailey Rudd (drums), ? (vocals), Freddie Richards (drums) + possibly more... 

Brevity is the watchword...of necessity. The final Black Swan jam session of the year and your correspondent inexplicably (hic!) mislaid/lost scribbled notes. Hunted high and low, they're nowhere to be seen. So, what happened? Who turned up? Don't ask me!

Ah, there was the excellent house trio - Messrs Law, Grainger and Mather. A good start to the evening. The sitters-in came thick and fast, first up, the Ruddicks, Paul (alto sax) and Shivan (trumpet). Paul blew a Bagdaddian torrent, Shivan, he's really beginning to get the jam session thing. The other Paul, Paul Gowland, first played his usual alto sax, later in the evening he would play piano - watch out Mr Law! David Gray played 'bone, Esther Coombes arrived to play alto sax and clarinet, later in the evening leading the 'Esther Coombes Experience', that's the massed assembly finale.  

The singers were out in force - the regulars, Kate and Ian, and the irregulars, Becky Tuck and Molly Birmingham. The drummer boys turned up - Bailey Rudd (be sure to catch Bailey with Nauta next week at Hoochie Coochie), Freddie Richards and newbie Hugh. It's always good to see Alex Shipsey (bass), Paul Grainger likes to see him too, it gives our MC the opportunity to go to the bar! Fellow bassist Owen Jones is a welcome face, a real asset. And there could have been more, if the scribbled notes turn up an addendum will be mailed pronto to BSH HQ.  

Merry (hic!) Christmas. Russell

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