Bebop Spoken There

Emma Rawicz: "In a couple of years I've gone from being a normal university student to suddenly being on international stages." DownBeat January 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

18246 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 100 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 31), 100

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Wed 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 04: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 04: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 05: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject:Times of the Day & Trios.
Thu 05: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Special guest Emma Wilson.
Thu 05: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 06: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 06: Durham Alumni Big Band & Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn Theatre. 7:30pm. £12.00. Two big bands on stage together!
Fri 06: Nauta + Littlewood Trio @ Little Buildings, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Double bill + jam session.
Fri 06: FILM: Made in America @ Star & Shadow Cinema, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Ornette Coleman.
Fri 06: Deep Six Blues @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm.

Sat 07: The Big Easy @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 07: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30-3:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 07: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. St Thomas & Bésame Mucho. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 07: Side Cafe Oᴙkestar @ Café Under the Spire, Gateshead. 6:30pm. Table reservations: 0191 477 3970.
Sat 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 08: Swing Tyne @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12 noon (doors). Donations. Swing dance taster class (12:30pm) + Hot Club de Heaton (live performance). Non dancers welcome.
Sun 08: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 09: Mark Williams Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 09: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 10: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. 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

Monday, March 25, 2024

Michael Young Trio @ the Engine Room, Sunderland - March 25

(© Russell)
Michael Young (piano); Paul Grainger bass); Abbie Finn (drums)

The trio returned to the Engine Room for, I think, their first gig at the venue this year. 

It was an evening that was not without minor catastrophes and that's not counting the weather. Firstly the Metro that I planned to take was withdrawn from service meaning that I arrived just as the pianist was hitting the opening chord of Steely Dan's Do it Again and it was no reflection on the band when my first thought was 'not likely' or at least not until the new trains are up and running!

However, after Norwegian Wood my mood picked up although if they'd opted for Yellow Submarine instead it may have dropped even further. Fortunately sanity prevailed. More Beatles crawled out of the woodwork for Baby You Can Drive my Car.

(© Russell)
By now you will have gathered that the concept of the evening's two sets were jazz versions of contemporary songs such Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit which was followed by Elton's Rocket Man which was when the second catastrophe occurred and the pedal board of the grand piano parted company with the rest of the instrument. A man of many talents, Young was under the piano fixin' (imagine if it had been Peterson or Jarrett!). It was rather like doing a makeshift repair on an exhaust pipe at the roadside. No wonder they closed the set with Led Zep's Black Dog.

Fortunately it was all sorted out during the interval and all was well for the second set. You Are the Sunshine of my Life, taken faster, than usual worked a treat to the extent that it inspired a couple of ladies to get up and strut their stuff. The band kept it going with extended solos all round. As it happens, the first live version I heard of the Stevie Wonder classic was by Stéphane Grappelli with John Etheridge and Diz Disley at nearby Sunderland Empire - a long time ago.

John Lennon's Jealous Guy; Prince's Sexy MF; Billy Preston's You Are so Beautiful and Cyndi Lauper's Time After Time took us to the appropriately named The End so I headed for The Doors.

The Metro was on time - the age of miracles hadn't passed - and I arrived home only slightly wet after an enjoyable evening by an excellent trio. Next one is on April 29. Lance
at

No comments :

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments ( Atom )

Blog Archive