Bebop Spoken There

Christian McBride: ''We knew back in the day that Emmet [Cohen] had it.'' (DownBeat July, 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

18721 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 585 of them this year alone and, so far this month (July 18) 49

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

July

Sat 25: Sing Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00-5:00pm. £27.50. Tutor: Alexia Gardner. Cheek to Cheek - Ella Fitgerald. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 25: Red Kites Jazz @ Costa Café (within Next), MetroCentre, Gateshead. 2:00-3:00pm. Free.

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 26: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 26: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free. CANCELLED!
Sun 26: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Bright Street Big Band @ Sandhaven Amphitheatre, South Shields. 3.30-5.30pm.
Sun 26: Jo Harrop & Jamie McCredie @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00.
Sun 26: King Bees @ Luckies, Jesmond, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. Chicago blues.

Mon 27: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 28: Liam & Shayo @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free. Liam Oliver (guitar), Shayo Oshodi (vocals).

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ 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: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 29: Abbie Finn Trio @ Music Dept., Durham University. 9:15pm. A Durham Fringe Festival event

Thu 30: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 30: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £6.50.
Thu 30: 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 31: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 31: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 31: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 31: Red Kites Jazz @ Land of Oak & Iron, Winlaton. 6:00-9:00pm. Free.
Fri 31: Milne Glendinning Band @ Repas 7 by Night, Berwick. 8:00-9:00pm. £6.00. A Berwick Fringe Festival event. £6.00 (£6.00 wristband access to all Fringe events).

Monday, April 29, 2024

Postmodern Jukebox @ the Glasshouse - April 28


Rogelio Douglas Jr. (vocals MC); Sarah Potenza, Ashley Campbell + 2 (vocals); Kyle Morgan (tenor sax, clarinet, flute); ? (trombone);  ? (guitar); Adam Kubota (bass); Tony ? (piano); Jack Amblin (drums, washboard); ? (dancer)

Once again the 'three bus' syndrome came into play. Three gigs, two in the same building, and each one as tasty as a Sunday dinner of sherry trifle, roast lamb and apple crumble served on the finest porcelain tableware.

As well as a foot-stomping session at the Globe, the Andrew McCormack Trio featuring Kyle Eastwood were in Sage Two at the Glasshouse whilst in Sage One it was the all-singing, all-dancing machine known as Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox.

I opted for the latter - me and maybe a thousand others some of whom had travelled a fair distance. The girl sitting next to me was from Billingham which is a good place to come from.

It was an audience who had came  to party and party they did. For those who had been asleep for the past one hundred years it must have been like waking up in a brave new world as PMJ's concept of remodelling modern pop songs into the style of a bygone era hit them where it didn't hurt.

Five singers, a hoofer and a six-piece band worked their socks off in various permutations to the delight  of all concerned.

I can't give a blow by blow account - how can you write  in the dark when you're on your feet clapping your hands whilst dancing cheek to cheek?

To say PMJ's renditions of the unoriginal are original is putting it mildly. It's Not Unusual played on a washboard is unusual as is Bowie, D's Life on Mars? when sung by a slinky blonde in a figure-hugging sparkly gown.

The whole cast belting out It's All About the Bass, the girl tap dancer performing miracles with her pedal extremities, Kyle Morgan on reeds - there must have been a lot of Kyles in the Glasshouse last night, I counted at least two of them - the ebullient MC, in fact the whole caboodle. Roll on next year. 


Earlier, the duo of Lady Rose and Ricci got everyone in the right frame of mind for what was to follow with a 30 minute set that included such gems as Ray Charles' Hit the Road Jack and the Ronettes' Be my Baby. The scene was set, we were warmed up and I look forward to hearing them again. Lance

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