Bebop Spoken There

Christian McBride: ''I believe we are living in a historically embarrassing moment in American history.'' - Downbeat December 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

18083 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 1047 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Dec. 14), 61.

From This Moment On ...

DECEMBER 2025

Sun 21: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. ‘Xmas Swingalong’. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 21: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00-5:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ o2 City Hall, Newcastle. 6:00pm. £35.80., £33.25., £31.00.
Sun 21: The Globe Xmas Party @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Live music.
Sun 21: Tweed River Jazz Band @ The Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:30pm. Free.

Mon 22: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 23: Paul Skerritt @ Chakh Dhoom, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Indian restaurant. Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Wed 24: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 24: Alexia Gardner @ The Townhouse, Bridge St., Morpeth. 1:30-4:30pm. ‘The A Capella Sessions’. Gardner, Paula Gardner, Alexia Hope Gardner Diamany.
Wed 24: Paul Skerritt @ Mambo Wine & Dine, South Shields. 1:30pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Thu 25: Alexia Gardner @ The Townhouse, Bridge St., Morpeth. 1:30-4:00pm. ‘All About the Bass Sessions’. Alexia Gardner, Paula Gardner, Jude Murphy.

Fri 26: ???

Sat 27: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. CANCELLED!
Sat 27: Leeds City Stompers @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free.

Sun 28: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 28: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 28: Paul Skerritt @ 3 Stories, High St. West, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 28: The Society Quartet @ Hilton Garden Inn, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Jason Holcomb & co.

Mon 29: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 30: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £8.00., £7.00. adv.

Wed 31: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 31: Lil Miss Mary & the Mr Rights Trio @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. ‘Early NYE Bash’. Rockabilly, rhythm & blues.
Wed 31: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. ‘Midnight in Manhattan’ NYE party. £49.46 (inc. bf) & £29.38 (inc. bf).

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

Thursday, December 07, 2023

Top Ten archival albums.

This year has, once again, unearthed many gems from within various vaults and dusty cellars. These are just some of them and for me to rate them like a top twenty chart is ludicrous! Nevertheless, here I go with the proviso that had I to do it again tomorrow it would be totally different!

1: Sonny Stitt - Boppin' in Baltimore (Jazz Detective)

2. Ahmad Jamal - Emerald City Nights, 1966-1968 (Jazz Detective)

3. Johnny Griffin - Live at Ronnie Scott's (Gearbox Records)

4. Sonny Clark - The Complete Blue Note Recordings (Mosaic)

5. Chet Baker - Blue Room  (Jazz Detective)

6. Bill Evans - Tales, Live in Copenhagen (Resonance)

7. Luis Russell - At the Swing Cats Ball (Dot Time)

8. Shirley Scott - Queen Talk: Live at the Left Bank (Reel to Reel)

9. Basie All Stars - Live at Fabrik Vol. 1 (Jazzline)

10. Cal Tjader - Catch the Groove (Jazz Detective).

So many more, Mingus, Brubeck, Walter Bishop Jr., Sal Mosca etc. You could put the names in a snap-brim hat or a Fedora give them a shuffle, draw them out blindfolded and, even if the result was totally different it would still be credible. Lance

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1 comment :

Paul Grainger said...

Giving in to the wind and rain I spent tonight listening to some of my favourite records (at least tonight's favourites), and had a quick browse of BSH.
As you say, Lance, a list as short as 10 will change even as it's being written down. Thoughts/coincidences from one leads you to think of another.
Anyway, for anyone who cares, tonight I have been mostly listening to:

1. Oscar Peterson and the bassists (Ray Brown, Niels Pederson) - Montreux '77 (Pablo)
2. Joe Pass/Milt Jackson/Ray Brown/Mickey Roker - All Too Soon: Quadrant Toasts Duke Ellington (Pablo)
3. Duke Ellington, Charlie Mingus, Max Roach - Money Jungle (United Artists Jazz)
4. Cannonball Adderley - Somethin' Else (Blue Note)
5. Jutta Hipp/with Zoot Sims - Jutta Hipp (Blue Note)
6. Art Pepper + Eleven - Modern Jazz Classics (Contemporary)
7. The Milcho Leviev Quartet - Blues For The Fisherman (Mole Jazz)
8. Hampton Hawes - Spanish Steps (Black Lion/Polydor)
9. Joe Williams - At Newport '63 (RCA Victor)
10. Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong - Ella and Louis Again (Verve)

...and as I'm finishing the list I'm already listening to Five Way Split's All The Way (Ubuntu), and while looking for that I found a great old Fletcher Henderson collection.. Do I write a top 20, or just choose accept that it would end up as a list of 1000 and go on all night?

Thursday, December 07, 2023 11:35:00 pm

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