Bebop Spoken There

Christian McBride: ''I believe we are living in a historically embarrassing moment in American history.'' - Downbeat December 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

18061 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 1025 of them this year alone and, so far, 39 this month (Dec. 14).

From This Moment On ...

DECEMBER 2025

Wed 17: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Spanish City, Whitley Bay. 12 noon. £29.00 (inc. bf). ‘Festive Lunch’. VCJ on stage 12 noon (three sets 'til 4:00pm).
Wed 17: Lazy River Band @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. Veronica Perrin, Chris Perrin, John Farragher, Phil Rutherford
Wed 17: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 17: Paul Skerritt @ Middlesbrough Town Hall. 7:00pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Wed 17: A Jazzy Xmas @ Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm. Paul Edis (MD, piano); Jo Harrop (vocals); Kyran Matthews (tenor sax, soprano sax); Faye Thompson (alto sax, clarinet); Sue Ferris (flute, piccolo); Graham Hardy (trumpet, flugelhorn); Jason Holcomb (trombone);Emma Fisk (violin); Andy Champion (double bass); Matt MacKellar (drums).
Wed 17: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 18: Paul Skerritt @ YOLO, Ponteland. 7:00pm. ‘Swing & Jazz Night’. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Thu 18: Joe Steels & Friends @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:30pm. Free (donations).

Fri 19: Fraser Urquhart @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT! .
Fri 19: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free..
Fri 19: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free..
Fri 19: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00..
Fri 19: Castillo Nuevo @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:00pm. Free. .
Fri 19: Alexia Gardner @ FIKA Art Gallery, Morpeth. 6:30pm. Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy..
Fri 19: Paul Skerritt @ Middlesbrough Town Hall. 7:00pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes. .
Fri 19: Giles Strong Quartet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club..
Fri 19: Creakin’ Bones & the Xmas Dinners @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £13.01 (inc. bf)..
Fri 19: Mark Toomey Quintet @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.

Sat 20: Jazz Attack @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 11:00am. Free.
Sat 20: Alexia Gardner @ FIKA Art Gallery, Morpeth. 6:30pm. Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy. SOLD OUT!
Sat 20: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. CANCELLED!
Sat 20: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 20: Hoodoo Blues @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:15pm (doors). £14.25, £11.55. Dance class, social dancing, live music & Xmas Party. Live music from 9:00pm - Ruth Lambert, Giles Strong, Ian Paterson & John Bradford (jazz and blues).
Sat 20: John Pope Quintet @ Blank Studios, Newcastle. 7:30-8:30pm. £7.70 (inc. bf). Album recording session.

Sun 21: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. ‘Xmas Swingalong’. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 21: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00-5:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ o2 City Hall, Newcastle. 6:00pm. £35.80., £33.25., £31.00.
Sun 21: The Globe Xmas Party @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Live music.
Sun 21: Tweed River Jazz Band @ The Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:30pm. Free.

Mon 22: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 23: Paul Skerritt @ Chakh Dhoom, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Indian restaurant. Skerritt w. backing tapes.

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

Tuesday, December 31, 2024

Lest we forget ...

This is one End of  the Year listing that is always difficult to post. From a personal point of view, 2024 has been a  particularly difficult year for me.

Jazz people who left us in 2024:

Jan. 29: Dave Murphy - Legendary north east bass player.  

Jan. 30: Marlene Liddle - My dearly beloved wife and inspiration (see photo).   

Feb. 1: Gordon Marshall - Top north east lead trumpet player. 

May 6: Bill Holman - Top American arranger and saxophonist.    

May 22: Glenn Cartlidge - Outstanding north west guitarist.      

July 10: George Davidson - Drummer with Rendezvous Jazz. 

July 19: Brian Ebbatson - Huge supporter of north east jazz.

July 22: John Mayall - Legendary British blues legend.

Aug. 24: Ann Alexander (Ann Alex) - BSH reviewer and good friend.

Sept. 5: Martin France - British drummer and educator who died too young.

Sept. 7: Dan Morgenstein - American jazz critic, historian etc.

Sept. 8: Zoot Money - Legendary British blues legend.

Sept. 17: Tony Haynes - Leader of Grand Union Orchestra.

Sept. 21: Benny Golson - American tenor sax legend.

Sept. 27: John Cram - Local accordionist, organist & friend.

Oct. 2: Tommy Weatherley - North east trombonist.

Oct. 15: Malcolm Armstrong - Pianist with various north east bands.

Nov. 3: Quincy Jones - The iconic producer, arranger, composer etc.

Nov. 5: Roy Cansdale - Highly respected Cumbrian based bassist.

Nov. 9: Lou Donaldson - Funky American alto saxist.

Nov. 13: John Broddle - Popular local jazz singer.

Nov. 20: John Prescott - Jazz-loving former Labour MP.

Nov. 23: Alistair Robertson - Jazz fan and founder of Hep Records.

Dec. 12: Martial Solal - Legendary French pianist and composer.

Dec. 13: Derek Ansell - Jazz writer, novelist, critic.

Dec. 15: Zakir Hussain - Indo-jazz maestro.

Dec. 28: Barre Phillips - Legendary avant-garde bassist.

My apologies to the friends, fans and families of anyone I've overlooked - it wasn't intentional. Lance

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2 comments :

Mike Farmer said...

Another who left us was Anthony Pinciotti New York drummer who played frequently at Smalls and Mezzrow. I heard someone talking about his passing during a podcast recently. This was confirmed by Spike Wilmer during his set at Mezzrow when he mentioned how devastated he was when he heard the news. Pinciotti was an important member of Spike’s trio. -Mike

Wednesday, January 01, 2025 4:50:00 pm
Carstairs said...

A lot of lonely houses - personal and some I never met.

Tuesday, January 07, 2025 1:26:00 pm

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