Bebop Spoken There

Ludovic Beier (Django Festival Allstars): ''Manouche means 'free man,' and gypsies have been travelers since they migrated west from India to Europe.'' (DownBeat March, 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

18383 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 247 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Mar. 17 ), 57

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

March

Mon 30: Gerry Richardson Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 30: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 31: Bede Trio @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Albert Hills Wright (alto sax); Finn Carter (piano); Michael Dunlop (double bass).

April

Wed 01: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 01: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 01: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 02: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: Musicians playing classical & orchestral music.
Thu 02: The Noel Dennis Band @ Prohibition Bar, Albert Road, Middlesbrough TS1 2RU. 7:00pm (doors). £10.84. Quartet plus special guest Zoë Gilby. Over 21s only.
Thu 02: Renegade Brass Band @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 02: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00. adv..
Thu 02: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Sunday, December 17, 2023

Strictly Smokin' Big Band @ Gosforth Civic Theatre - Dec. 16

Strictly Smokin' Big Band: Michael Lamb (MD), Pete Tanton, Dick Stacey, Gordon Marshall (trumpets); Jamie Toms, Matt Forster, Keith Robinson, Steve Summers, Sue Ferris (reeds); Mark Ferris, Kieran Parnaby, Chris Kurgi-Smith, John Flood (trombones); Pawel Jedrzejewski (guitar); Graham Don (piano); Michael Whent (bass guitar); Guy Swinton (drums); Alice Grace (vocals)

It's Christmas! Well, almost. It's become a tradition, the Strictly Smokin' Big band's two nights at Gosforth Civic Theatre on the outskirts of Newcastle. And they always sell out. This year wasn't any different, Friday evening sold out (job done) and this evening's performance would follow suit. As Michael Lamb's magnificent big band took to the stage Santa hats weren't in evidence, at least for now...

Stan Kenton's chart of Jerome Kern's Long Ago and Far Away opened the show. What a start! Alice Grace strolled out to sing Cole Porter's Just One of Those Things, the band absolutely flying. Alice remained on stage for some impeccable vocalise on Blue Moon with the tenors - Jamie Toms and Matt Forster - trading for fun. Tremendous! O Come, O Come, Emmanuel really did the the bullseye - a seasonal offering with some heavy duty jazz playing. Artfully done, you could say.   

Santa hats at the ready...Good King Wenceslas, Is That You Santa Claus? (definitely not Louis Armstrong, 100% Alice Grace!), Silent Night, Jazz at Lincoln Center's arrangement of We Three Kings, Callum Au's arrangement of Winter Wonderland, yes, the 'big day' is little more than a week away. 

The SSBB's sections are packed with ace soloists, this evening we heard from Gordon Marshall (terrific), the altos of Steve Summers and Keith Robinson, the excellent Graham Don at the Yamaha upright, there were others...

The Christmas Song, Alice leading the audience/choir on Last Christmas, what a show! And they're going to do it all again, same time, same place, next year. Tickets on sale now (and selling fast!) at: www.strictly-smokin.co.uk. Russell

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