Bebop Spoken There

Jools Holland (on his 2026 spring/summer tour): ''With the mighty [R&B] Orchestra, our wonderful boogie woogie singers, and the brilliant Joe Webb opening the shows [including Darlington Hippodrome, June 19], we're in for some very special evenings of music.'' The Northern Echo February 5, 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

18263 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 117 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Feb. 6), 17

From This Moment On ...

February

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.

Wed 11: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington.. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 11: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 12: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 13: Noel Dennis Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm . £9.00. Dennis (trumpet, flugelhorn); Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 13: Joe Steels @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 13: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm.
Fri 13: Tom Remon & John Moriarty @ The Ship Isis, Silksworth Row, Sunderland SR1 3QJ. 7:00pm. £10.00 + £1.00 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

Sunday, July 14, 2024

Les Jazz Rebels @ Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival - July 13

Jacques Boulan (trumpet, vocals); Jacques Montebruno (clarinet); Jean-Marc Ternois (trombone); Jean-Pierre Dubois (banjo); ? (double bass); ? (drums)

St Bride's Centre, tucked away in a residential side street, is but one venue pressed into action to accommodate some of the many concerts at the annual Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival. The 2024 edition of the international extravaganza included appearances (plural) by Les Jazz Rebels. The French outfit, inspired by Claude Luter, Sidney Bechet, Chris Barber and others, enjoyed playing to a sold out Friday crowd at the Jazz and Jive Club. A matter of hours later the six-piece band took to the Saturday lunchtime outdoor stage at Grassmarket before heading to St Bride's.

Arriving at St Bride's Centre, Les Jazz Rebels' soundcheck was momentarily suspended as Jean-Pierre Dubois declared his banjo broken. Did one cheer or commiserate? A call went out to the Tenement Jazz Band's John Youngs who just happened to be busy dismantling the Grassmarket stage. Handing on the manual labour job to a festival colleague, Youngs came to the rescue, delivering his banjo, in person, to Monsieur Dubois. 

Overcast and drizzling, this typical Edinburgh summer's day (!) didn't deter the faithful. St Bride's welcomed a large crowd there to listen to the Gallic jazz of Les Jazz Rebels. Quite what they were rebelling against wasn't at all clear, perhaps 'renegades' would be a more accurate moniker with some of the musicians refugees from the likes of the famed Hot Antic Jazz Band, Haricots Rouge and Jazz à Bichon. Black Cat on the Fence, Fidgety Feet, 'Les Rebels' gave the audience what it had come to hear. Jean-Pierre Dubois' witty introductions did wonders for post-Brexit UK-France relations. Similarly trumpeter Jacques Boulan charmed the crowd, singing several numbers, in English, of course!

The set list could best be described as 'eclectic', I Love You, Samantha and My Cheatin' Heart unlikely selections. New Orleans Wiggle and Band Box Stomp hit the spot, as did What a Wonderful World, Dubois musing on the state of our 'wonderful world', wondering what Louis Armstrong would make of it. Little did we know that in a matter of hours world events would take a turn...

The audience wanted one more, Les Jazz Rebels obliged with At the Jazz Band Ball.                 

Set list: Harlem ?; A Precious Little Thing Called Love; Black Cat on the Fence; Crazy About You; Fidgety Feet; I Love You, Samantha; My Cheatin' Heart; New Orleans Wiggle; Band Box Stomp; What a Wonderful World; At the Jazz Band Ball
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