Bebop Spoken There

David Bailey (photographer): ''When I was 16 I wanted to look like Chet Baker. He was my idol - him and James Dean.'' (Talking Pictures documentary : Four beats to the bar and no cheating April, 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

18469 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 333 of them this year alone and, so far this month (April 27 ) 67

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

April

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 29: Long/Remon/Zilker @ The Ship Isis, Sunderland. 7:00pm. £10.00. + £1.00. bf. Tom Remon plays Irish folk!
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 29: Hackney Colliery Band @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. £25.00.

Thu 30: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: International Jazz Day & JANE AGM.
Thu 30: Duke Junction @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00. Nadim Teimoori (tenor sax); Jeff Hewer (guitar); Martin Longhawn (organ); Steve Hanley (drums). An International Jazz Day event & the 12th anniversary of Newcastle Jazz Co-op acquiring the Globe!

May

Fri 01: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 01: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 01: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 01: Bede Wind Band + East Coast Swing Band @ Cullercoats Methodist Church. 7:30pm. £10.00. Tickets from: www.ticketsource.com, members of Bede Wind Band & at the door. Memorial concert for Anne-Marie Purvis, who was a member of both ensembles. All proceeds to Tiny Lives Trust.
Fri 01: Louis Louis Louis @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £15.00.

Sat 02: Midnite Follies Orchestra @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £20.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club. All-star line-up.
Sat 02: Knats Masterclass & Jam II @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 1:00-3:00pm. £15.00.
Sat 02: Shannon Pearl + John Pope & John Garner @ Langley Tracks, Langley on Tyne NE47 5LA. 5:30pm (doors). £15.00. + £1.50. bf. ‘Witch-pop’ + Pope & Garner.
Sat 02: Knats + Nauta @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £17.51., £14.33., £11.16.
Sat 02: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 03: Chilcott Jazz Mass @ St George’s Church, Jesmond, Newcastle. 9:30am. Free. Sung communion with Parish Choir (featuring Bob Chilcott’s music). A Jesmond Community Festival event.
Sun 03: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 03: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Feat. guest Mark Toomey (alto sax).
Sun 03: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 03: Tom Waits for No Man @ Oxygenic, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm (2:30pm doors). Neckties and Boxing Gloves album launch. £14.00 (gig & a CD); £8.00 (gig only).
Sun 03: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 03: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £3.76.
Sun 03: John Pope & John Garner @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00.

Mon 04: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 04: Pete Tanton’s Cuban Heels @ The Library, South Parade, Whitley Bay. 2:00-4:00pm. Free.
Mon 04: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 05: Leah Kirk (voice): Final Year Music Recital @ The Band Room, Music Studios, Assembly Lane, Newcastle University. 2:30pm. Free, open to the public.
Tue 05: Jenny Baker (voice): Final Year Music Recital @ The Band Room, Music Studios, Assembly Lane, Newcastle University. 4:20pm. Free, open to the public.
Tue 05: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Tue 05: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.

Wednesday, January 17, 2024

The first jam session of 2024 @ The Black Swan, Newcastle - Jan. 16

Stu Collingwood (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Bailey Rudd (drums) + Paul 'Birthday Boy' Gowland (alto sax); Kate O'Neill (vocals); Alex Shipsey (bass guitar); Joe Steels (guitar); Josh Weir (drums); John Rowland (tenor sax); Becky Tuck (vocals); Jacob Egglestone (guitar); Owen Jones (double bass); Eva Fox (vocals); David Gray (trombone, piano, vocals); Katrina Miller (vocals); ? (vocals); Edgar Bell (cornet); Hugh ? (drums); Jamie Watkins (bass guitar); Joe ? (drums); Molly Birmingham (vocals); Remi Coulthard-Boardman (vocals); Conor Emery (trombone); Esther Coombes (clarinet, alto sax)

Overnight Tuesday/Wednesday, Newcastle Airport recorded a temperature of minus 7°. This Tuesday evening Newcastle Arts Centre's basement Black Swan venue couldn't have been far behind, 'cold' isn't the word. Did it deter the regulars? Did it deter a multitude of sitters-in? Nope! They turned out in numbers, many new faces too. 

The house trio - Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, Bailey Rudd - opened the show playing two or three numbers to warm up, literally warm up! Days of Wine and Roses, a million and one notes One Note Samba followed by Embraceable You (Collingwood on top form, Grainger soloing, Rudd brushing to great effect).

Sufficiently warmed up, it was time to invite front row habitué, Kate O'Neill, to sing a couple of numbers. O'Neill and a host of others were supported by some top-notchers, variously John Rowland (tenor sax), Joe Steels (guitar), Alex Shipsey (bass guitar) and drummer Josh Weir. Rowland's numbers included On Green Dolphin Street (Rowland impressing, Joe Steels more than impressive). 

Becky Tuck was in the house. A distinctive take on My Funny Valentine won applause (guitar accompanist Jacob Egglestone making a wonderful contribution) and before we knew it the merry go round whirled ever faster. A blizzard of sitters-in came and went: David Gray (at one point sporting furry headgear not unlike Leonid Brezhnev, prompting one wag to suggest: David needs a haircut!) picking out a few chords on the house piano and singing, in duet with Eva Fox, a fun It Had to Be You, Katrina Miller (catch Katrina singing at Prohibition Bar on Thursday evening), Molly Birmingham (an amazing Nature Boy) and a male vocalist making a big impression with his take on You Don't Know Me. His name? Remi Coulthard-Boardman. We'll be hearing more from Remi, that's for sure. 

The blizzard threatened to become a white-out, they were coming thick and fast. MC Paul Grainger's stage management ensured an endless succession of participants got their chance to show what they could do. And still they kept on coming, the pick of the bunch, trombonist Conor Emery. Young Conor hung around for the finale (the Esther Coombes' Experience), a swinging, crazy, all-hands-on-deck, of a rollercoaster Caravan. And last, but by no means least, take a bow birthday boy, alto saxophonist, Mr Paul Gowland. It had been one of those nights. Russell
at

No comments :

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments ( Atom )

Blog Archive