Bebop Spoken There

Gary Bartz: ''Music is nature's gift to man. It's the only religion. We're living in a terrible era, but what a beautiful thing music is. Look how it brings us together like religion is supposed to; and with no language barriers.'' (Jazzwise September, 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

18897 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 761 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Sept. 11.) 40.

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

September.

Tue 15: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Ben Lawrence, Paul Grainger, Bailey Rudd.

Wed 16: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 16: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 16: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 17: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 17: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 17: Front Porch Blues @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 17: Miles 100 @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £7.00. Jack Courtney (trumpet); Sue Ferris (tenor sax); Tom Atkinson (guitar); Alan Law (piano); Deon Krishnan (bass); Jeff Armstrong (drums). A night of Miles Davis.
Thu 17: Amphitrio @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £7.00. Andrei Petrache (piano); Mike Alex (double bass); Philip Goron (drums).

Fri 18: Danny Lownes’ Hot Club @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 18: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 18: Mark Williams Trio @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.
Fri 18: Emma Fisk’s Hot Club du Nord @ St Cuthbert’s Centre, Crook. 7:30pm. £10.00., £5.00. student.
Fri 18: Rivkala + Beccy Sloan @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £10.00.

Sat 19: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal. All welcome.
Sat 19: Sing Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00-5:00pm. £27.50. Tutor: Alexia Gardner: Nina Simone. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 19: Ray Stubbs’ R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free.

Sat 19: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal. All welcome.

Sun 20: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 20: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 20: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.

Mon 21: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 21: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. Coltrane centenary.

Saturday, April 27, 2024

Paul Skerritt w. the Danny Miller Big Band @ the Glasshouse - April 26

(© Patti)
Swing singer Skerritt is moving up the ranks. He may have yet to conquer Vegas but that horizon no longer looks to be quite as distant, at least that's the way it seemed last night at the Glasshouse.

Backed by the punchy 18 piece Danny Miller Big Band from Liverpool, seven of whom are actually north east based*, he entertained a near capacity Sage Two audience with expertly tweaked covers of songs from the repertoire of Sinatra, Bennett, Bublé, Bennett, Tormé, Darin, Connick Jr., Anka, Stevie Wonder and Take That.

The singing was superb although the comedy routines in between numbers were perhaps a trifle overdone. This was something that also took the edge off Sinatra's TV shows with the Rat Pack so at least, in that respect, Paul was in good company and it will stand him in good stead when he does make it on to a stage in Vegas.

Also, in this day and age of political correctness, I'm not sure that the Bobby Darin version of Clementine is as acceptable now as it was back in the early sixties. However, these are but minor quibbles and as I headed home I felt that the good times had been well and truly rolled. Lance

*For the record, the home contingent in the band were: Dave Hignett (trumpet); Keiran Parnaby, Dave Brocklesby, Andrew Kirtley (trombones); Ben Phillips (piano); Mick Shoulder (bass guitar); John Bradford (drums) + leader Miller, who played flugel on I Left my Heart in San Francisco cut his musical teeth at what was then The Sage with Jambone.

Sonny's Place (inst.); Cheek to Cheek; As Long as I'm Singing; It's Only a Paper Moon; Beyond the Sea; A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square; The More I See You; It Had to be You; For Once in my Life; Don't Get Around Much Anymore; I Left my Heart in San Francisco. 

Blues-1 Band-0 (The Final Score) (inst.); Strike up the Band; Hello Young Lovers; The Lady is a Tramp; I've Got the World on a String; The Eye of the Tiger; Clementine; Come by me; Happy Together; Let the Good Times Roll.

No comments :

Blog Archive