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: 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

Wednesday, September 18, 2024

An autumnal Black Swan jam session - Sept. 17

Joe Steels (guitar); Paul Grainger (double bass); Abbie Finn (drums, trumpet) + Harry Keeble (tenor sax, piano); Bailey Rudd (drums); Theo Nolan (piano); Paul Ruddick (alto sax); Shivan Ruddick (trumpet); Liam Oliver (guitar); Dan Potter (drums); John Weaver (trumpet); Steve Summers (tenor sax); Esther Coombes (tenor sax, alto sax, clarinet); Hugh ? (drums); Carrie McCullock (vocals); ? (vocals); Owen Jones (double bass); Jamie Watkins (double bass); Shayo (vocals); Kath Butcher (vocals); Haaroun Miller (alto sax, tenor sax); Joe ? (drums); Oscar Nolan (vocals); Edgar Bell (trumpet) 

The house trio playing Cole Porter's Everything I Love opened the show followed by Bird's My Little Suede Shoes, things were going well. The Black Swan was busy, noticeably so. An unusually early change of personnel saw drummer Abbie Finn stepping down, Bailey Rudd a more than able dep. Hmm...

Harry Keeble called Naima. Now, this was the business! Finn returned with trumpet in hand. What's going on? Sure enough, award-winning drummer-turned-trumpeter, Abbie Finn plucked up the courage to play The Lady is a Tramp. Well, what do you know?! Session leader Joe Steels took five and, with Theo Nolan sitting-in on piano, Keeble (tenor sax) and Finn (trumpet) played Vernon Duke's Autumn in New York. Well, well, well...

In between Strictly Smokin' Big Band engagements, Steve Summers (tenor sax) popped in for a blow.* The Ruddicks were in the house. Manhã de Carnaval the selection. Ruddick Snr the established name, Ruddick Jr (that's trumpeter Shivan) fast coming up on the rails. Impressive. And another trumpeter...John Weaver. A regular at the Tannery jam session, it was good to see John making the trip from Hexham. Dan Potter was around, he would soon be behind the traps, Jamie Watkins, known primarily as an electric bass player, got to grips with MC Paul Grainger's double bass, and alongside Esther Coombes (reeds) they blazed a trail on Mr PC. 

Owen Jones (double bass) joined the party, a prowling Haaroun Miller (alto sax, tenor sax) grabbed a piece of the action, ditto Edgar Bell (trumpet). Vocalists Carrie McCullock, Oscar Nolan and others punctuated the instrumental flow, in other words, a typical night at the Black Swan jam session. As is the tradition, all horns left standing assembled for the grand finale. Directed by P. Grainger, the horns blew and blew and blew...

* The Strictly Smokin' Big Band with special guest Emma Smith will be at the Common Room (next door to the Lit & Phil) on Sunday 29 September (5:00pm). Book now: www.strictly-smokin.co.uk. Tickets are going fast! Russell
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1 comment :

Anonymous said...

Hugh Whitby, drums

Wednesday, September 18, 2024 11:34:00 AM

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