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Bebop Spoken There

Steve Coleman: ''If you don't keep learning, your mind slows down. Use it or lose it''. (DownBeat, January 2025).

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

17680 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 23 of them this year alone and, so far, 23 this month (Jan. 9).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Mon 13: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 13: Raymond MacDonald & Andy Champion @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 14: Zoë Gilby Quintet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm.

Wed 15: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 15: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 15: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 15: Hot Club of Heaton @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘third Wednesday in the month’ session. TBC.

Thu 16: Pete Tanton & the Cuban Heels @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 17: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 17: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 17: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 17: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 17: Joe Steels Trio @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £TBC.
Fri 17: Russ Morgan Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 17: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 18: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 18: Alter Ego + Jamie Toms/Graham Don Duo @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 18: Delta Prophets @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

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

Thursday, August 22, 2024

Spicing up my life

Back in the early days of BSH I was a not infrequent visitor to our capital city. Indeed I was the Russell of my day and one of my prime ports of call was the Spice of Life situated just off Cambridge Circus - the Wednesday night sessions were the stuff of legends.

Hosted by Paul Pace (pictured), a fine singer in the Sinatra mould, a variety of vocalists appeared. Some on the way up, others already there. Local award-winning singer Zoë Gilby made her capital debut there supporting Polly Gibbons and, if you were there, you could never forget the night Emma Smith and Ian Shaw dueted and scatted on Centerpiece?

Esther Bennett, Alex Stewart, Kai Hoffman were just some of the names that appeared and always backed by an ace trio including pianists Geoff Eales, Rick Simpson, Barry Green and Alex Hutton. Bassist Simon Little and a variety of top drummers. PHOTOS.

Then there was the old guy on the door. Invariably he would shower me with cassettes: Mingus, Joe Harriott and Ronnie Ross with MJQ, Getz, Lennie Niehaus, he seemed to know exactly where my interests lay and had a tape to suit.

He was a man of few words. If a sentence had more than four words it was a soliloquy. I once mentioned a legendary American jazzman (he's still around today so I won't mention his name) and received a single word reply 'imposter!' he said.

After several visits I asked him his name. 'I haven't got one' he replied.

The last time I saw the nameless one he gave me a DVD that, for some reason disappeared during my unpacking when I returned home - until now that is. Last week I rediscovered it and gazed in awe at what I'd been sitting on (not literally) for maybe ten or twelve years.

Tubby Hayes Big Band introduced by Humph on Jazz 625, Benny Golson conducting a jazz/symphony orchestra, Gerald Wilson Big Band with Teddy Edwards on tenor, Japanese pianist Toshiko with husband Lew Tabackin on tenor, Thad Jones/Mel Lewis to mention but a few. Most are in black and white and although the video quality isn't great the sound quality is.

Mr A.N. Other, if you're still around, thank you so much. Lance

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