Bebop Spoken There

Art Blakey (to Terence Blanchard): ''You ain't Miles find your own shit to do!'' (DownBeat May, 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

18548 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 412 of them this year alone and, so far this month (May 19) 66

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

May

Thu 21: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 21: Jazz Classics with Rivkala @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Rivkala (vocals); Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass).
Thu 21: 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 22: Paul Skerritt @ Market Place, Durham. From 12 noon. Free. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Fri 22: Paul Edis Trio @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £9.00. Edis, Andy Champion, Steve Hanley.
Fri 22: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 22: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 22: Paul Edis Trio @ St Cuthbert’s Centre, Crook. 7:30pm. £TBC. Edis, Andy Champion, Steve Hanley.

Sat 23: Tyne Valley Big Band @ Bywell Hall. 2:00pm. Northumberland County Show.
Sat 23: Paul Edis @ Core Music, Gilesgate, Hexham. 3:00pm. £12.00. A Core Music fundraiser, Hexham Jazz Weekender Day/Weekend ticket not applicable. Hexham Jazz Weekender.
Sat 23: Blyth Big Band @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 6:30pm. £9.00., £5.00.
Sat 23: Paul Edis & Friends @ Musicwonders, Church Chare, Chester-le-Street. 7:00pm (6:30pm doors). £15.00. www.musicwonders.org. BYOB. SOLD OUT!
Sat 23: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Queen’s Hall Hexham. 7:00pm. £13.50 (inc. bf). Hexham Jazz Weekender.
Sat 23: TC & the Groove Family + Lagos to Longbenton @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £17.51., £14.33., £11.16.
Sat 23: Davina & the Vagabonds @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £22.00. + £1.50 bf.
Sat 23: Celebrating Wes Montgomery @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 8:15pm. £14.00., £12.00. Hexham Jazz Weekender.
Sat 23: Chris Coull’s Porgy & Bess @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 9:30pm. £16.50 (inc. bf). Hexham Jazz Weekender.

Sun 24: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 24: SwanNek @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. £11.50 (inc. bf). Hexham Jazz Weekender.
Sun 24: Salty Dog @ The Globe, Newcastle. 3:00pm. Free. Donations.
Sun 24: Ben Crosland’s Threeway @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:00pm. £13.50 (inc. bf). Line-up inc. Steve Waterman. Hexham Jazz Weekender.
Sun 24: Society Quartet @ Hilton Garden Inn, Sunderland. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: Street Brass Band Bonanza: The Fanfare + Storytellers + Tenth Avenue Band @ The Star & Shadow Cinema, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £10.00., £8.00.
Sun 24: Charlie Parr @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £17.50. Blues. Jumpin’ Hot Club.
Sun 24: Olly Styles Experience @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £7.00.
Sun 24: Finn-Keeble Group @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 8:15pm. £13.50 (inc. bf). Hexham Jazz Weekender. Feat. Jamil Sheriff.
Sun 24: Modern Vikings @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 9:30pm. £16.50 (inc. bf). Hexham Jazz Weekender.

Mon 25: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 26: Noel Dennis Sextet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £12.00. A Miles Davis centenary concert (Davis b. 26. 5. 1926). Noel Dennis (trumpet); Harry Keeble (tenor sax); Dean Stockdale (piano); Mark Williams (guitar); Andy Champion (double bass); John Bradford (drums). SOLD OUT!
Tue 26: Lagos to Longbenton @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 27: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 27: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington.
. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 27: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Wed 27: Neighbourhood Watch + Rivkala @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £5.00. Rivkala (solo).

Thursday, December 14, 2023

The Bold Big Band @ Cluny 2 - Dec. 13

(© Russell)
Pippa Morgan, Max Storey, Crissi Booth, Lucy McCartan, Brian Wicks (reeds); Alex Utting, Bertie Marks, Fiona Duxbury, Conor Emery (trombones); Billy Bradshaw, Sam Armstrong, Abi Brierly, Andrew Marshall (trumpets); Ben Davies (guitar); Alex Ngeyu (keyboards); Ifede Osiyemi (bass); Dan Arenstein (drums); Conor Polley (vocals) + Jacob Lightfoot (alto sax)

The Bold Big Band has come a long way in a relatively short time. First heard pre-pandemic at the now closed Dun Cow pub in the Jesmond suburb of Newcastle, bandleader Brian Wicks is moulding the student/alumni outfit into a force to be reckoned with. Perhaps following the example of one or two local bandleaders of some renown, it was abundantly clear the band's baritone anchor wasn't about to leave anything to chance. Advertised as an eight o'clock start, Wicks' eighteen piece outfit was ready to go, bang on time.

(© Patti)
Deck the Halls (it's the time of year) opened the show with tenor saxophonist Crissi Booth first to her feet. A solid start, make that an impressive start, Cluny 2's audience a whoopin' and a hollerin'. From here on in Wicks delivered a series of terrible jokes ('terrible' in the very best seasonal tradition!), all of which elicited groans from audience and band alike. Norwegian Wood a la Buddy Rich (Alex Utting and Pippa Morgan soloing) brought a confession, Wicks hadn't been aware it was a Beatles number! Don't worry, Brian, it's a generational thing...Vocalist Conor Polley, nerves of steel, pinned 'em to the back wall singing Eye of the Tiger. Impressive. Ain't That a Kick in the Head? sang Polley. Again, impressive. A rip-roaring Why Not? concluded a fine first set.   

Moondance is seemingly in the pad of many a big band and it's in the Bold Big Band's book. Polley sang it, then on to some Gordon Goodwin. T.O.P Adjacent is a real tear up as performed by the Big Phat Band. The Bold Big Band went for it and scored big time (soloists Bertie Marks, trombone, Crissi Booth, tenor, Ben Davies, guitar, and a tremendous rhythm section). Pianist Alex Ngeyu and Crissi Booth featured on a swinging Basie - Straight Ahead. More straight ahead material with String of Pearls (Pippa Morgan featured), Still Alive shone the spotlight on trumpeter Abi Brierly, one of several fine contributions from a powerhouse section comprising hot shots Sam Armstrong, Billy Bradshaw and Andrew Marshall.  

Carol of Bells (it's the time of year) then, to close, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer featuring once more the hugely impressive Sam Armstrong. The Bold Big Band is a tight, swinging, not to mention entertaining outfit. Keep an eye on the listings, next time be sure to go and hear the Bold Big Band. Russell     

Set list: Deck the Halls; Norwegian Wood; Minuano (Six Eight); White Christmas; But Beautiful; Eye of the Tiger; Ain't That a Kick in the Head?; Why Not; Moondance; T.O.P. Adjacent; Jingle Jangle Jungle; Basie - Straight Ahead; String of Pearls; Still Alive; Carol of the Bells; Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.   
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