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

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: 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.

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

Monday, October 21, 2024

Sunday night @ the Globe: The Magpies of Swing - Oct. 20

© Russell
Elise Rana (vocals, drums, washboard); Lara Hopper, Polly Curbishley (trumpet); Lachlan Fotheringham (soprano sax, clarinet); Neil Hopper (trombone, drums); Fiona Finden (tenor sax, vocals); Stu Finden (baritone sax); Alec Gamble (guitar, vocals); Anders Ingram (guitar, guitar/banjo vocals)Alan Law (piano); Owen Jones (double bass); Olga ? (flute, vocals); Niffi Osiyemi (alto sax, vocals); Jenni ? (alto sax) + Chloe, Kay (vocals)

The swing dancers were out in force - man can they do the Lindy Hop - I was exhausted just watching them! Still, with a band like this who couldn't/wouldn't want to dance? Peppered with soloists and singers, the hits and near-misses of the '20s, '30s and '40s were given the hottest work out since the Palomar Ballroom in L.A. burnt down.

There was too much happening to describe everything in chapter and verse although I did try only to find my notes were nigh unintelligible (what's new?).

Numbers sung included: Sugar, Sunday (Chloe); It's Only a Paper Moon (Olga); In a Mellow Tone, I'm Beginning to See the Light (Kay);  Don't Get Around Much Anymore, Sweet Georgia Brown (Niffi); St. James Infirmary, My Walking Stick, Russian Lullaby (Anders); Dinah (Alec); Lester Leaps in (Fiona). Elise also sang but I missed the title of the song.

Among the instrumentals were Don't be That WayPetite Fleur (Lachlan featured on soprano), 9:20 Special and a blistering Lester Leaps In that had everybody blowing their heart out after Fi's vocal.

Also worthy of being mentioned in despatches: Lara on trumpet, Olga on flute, Stu ob bari, the ever changing rhythm section and ace dep Alan Law on piano.

It was a night, quite a night! Lance

1 comment :

Patti said...

It was indeed a swinging night! Plus, the Elise vocal was on a wonderful Catherine Russell tune 'Just Because You Can' ... Catherine is real jazz royalty. She is the daughter of Luis Russell, who had one of the hottest and swingy-est big bands of the 1920s and 1930s.

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