Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: ''It was then that Coltrane came along and single-handedly brought this dimension of spirituality into jazz. It was a pivotal experience to me.'' (DownBeat September, 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

18957 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 821 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Sept. 30.) 100.

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

October.

Mon 05: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 05: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Tue 06: Alan Law @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free. Alan Law (piano) w. Paul Grainger (double bass).
Tue 06: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Murray Oak, Paul Grainger, John Bradford.
Tue 06: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 06: Black is the Color of My Voice @ Northern Stage, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman stage play inspired by Nina Simone. First night of two.

Wed 07: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. Wed 07: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 07: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 07: Black is the Color of My Voice @ Northern Stage, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman stage play inspired by Nina Simone. Second night of two.

Thu 08: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 08: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free (donations).
Thu 08: Indigo Jazz Voices w. Little Big Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 09: Dean Stockdale Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. Dean Stockdale (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Fri 09: John Rowland Trio @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle.

Sat 10: Catfish Keith @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £19.00. + bf. Jumpin’ Hot Club.

Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free. Feat. guest Jack ‘Banjo’ Courtney (trumpet).
Sun 11: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Harry Christelis Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A Jazz Co-op-JNE co-promotion.

Sunday, November 10, 2024

The Classic Jazz Party: Sunday afternoon @ the Village Hotel, North Tyneside - Nov. 3

The final day of the 2024 CJP, just the nine and a half hours to go, plus, of course, a third and final jam session into the wee small hours of Monday. Mamie Smith's Jazz Hounds featuring Nicolle Rochelle helped clear any fuzzy heads resulting from the previous evening's late night jam session. Parisian Ms Rochelle looked a picture, despite having had little or no sleep! Andy Schumm (cornet) and Lars Frank (reeds) joined a stellar British line-up which included drummer Nick Ball playing a xylophone.

Lorenzo Baldasso led a multi-national cast of A-listers paying tribute to the Hotsy Totsy Gang in Futuristic Rhythms - Irving Mills & His Hotsy Totsy Gang. Americans, a Norwegian, a Swede, a Frenchman, a Londoner and a resident of County Durham had a great time playing the music, bandleader Baldasso a convincing Benny Goodman. 

Thomas Morris - A Past Jazz Master meant little to many here at the Village Hotel. It's one of the many plus points of the CJP, a set devoted to little known or long forgotten musicians. Thomas Morris (cornet) was a prominent figure on the New York jazz scene until opting for obscurity when entering a religious order. Michael McQuaid led the appreciation. 

The Classic Jazz Party's non-stop action (turnarounds are lightning quick) can tax the most resilient of listeners. Clarinet & Piano offered some relief, Lars Frank (clarinet) and Morten Gunnar Larsen (piano) as a duo played for themselves and the most resilient among us.

The Red Heads & Ukulele Ike lead by New Yorker Mike Davis (trumpet) featured - who else? - Spats Langham. Imagine Davis as Red Nichols and Langham as Cliff 'Ukulele Ike' Edwards, the latter particularly suited to the part. Langham as a vaudevillian is easy to imagine! 

To close the Sunday afternoon session, CJP MD Michael McQuaid looked at the late 1920s' recordings of the Scott brothers - that's multi-reeds maestro Cecil and drummer Lloyd. The Two Bright Boys: Cecil Scott and Lloyd Scott with trumpeters Jon-Erik Kellso and Malo Mazurié on top form sent us into the dinner break with renewed enthusiasm. Bring on the final session of this year's Classic Jazz Party! Russell       

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