Bebop Spoken There

Ron Carter quoting Sonny Rollins: ''What we call jazz - that's keeping the world in equilibrium. I don't care what kind of music you like out here today. It all comes from jazz.'' (DownBeat August, 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

18799 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 663 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 12) 32.

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

August

Sat 15: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 15: Jake Leg Jug Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £16.26.

Sun 16: Vintage Explosion @ Cliffe Park, Roker, Sunderland SR6 8DB. 5:00-10:30pm. £44.00 (inc. bf).

Mon 17: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 20: Edson Angus Quartet @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 20: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Fri 21: Andrzej Baranek Trio @ The Lit & Phil. 1:00pm. £8.00. Andrzej Baranek (piano); Josh Cavanagh-Brierley (double bass); Dave Walsh (drums). SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: David Gray Flextet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.
Fri 21: Errol Linton & His Band + Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. Excellent blues double bill.

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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