Bebop Spoken There

Dominick "Domo" Branch: ''Most people say drummers can't write, they're just time-keepers only beating on things. But I have a very musical brain.'' (DownBeat February, 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

18288 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 142 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Feb. 14), 42

From This Moment On ...

February

Sat 21: ???

Sun 22: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 22: Joe Steels Group @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. A Blue Patch album tour.
Sun 22: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Harben Kay Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 23: Joe Steels Group @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. A Blue Patch album tour.
Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 24: Finn-Keeble Group @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00.
Tue 24: Liam Oliver & Shayo Oshodi @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 25: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 25: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 25: Geordie Jazz Jam @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Newcastle University jam session. All welcome.
Wed 25: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 26: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £6.50.
Thu 26: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00 adv.
Thu 26: Mick Cantwell Band @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Blues.

Fri 27: Joe Steels Group @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT! A Blue Patch album tour.
Fri 27: Alan Barnes w. Mick Shoulder Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. Trio: Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 27: Radio Hito + Eddie Prévost, Silvain Schmid & Tom Wheatley @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £12.22., £10.10., £8.00.
Fri 27: Giacomo Smith w Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.
Fri 27: Alan Barnes w. Mick Shoulder Trio @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £15.00. Trio: Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).

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

Sunday, December 15, 2024

The Len Phillips Swing Orchestra directed by Joe Pettitt from the Stables, Wavendon - Dec. 15 on Sky Arts

Joe Pettitt (MD); Russell Bennett, George Hogg, Tom Dennis, Andy Gathercole (trumpets); Jon Stokes, Chris Traves, Richard Wigley, Bob Haslin (trombones); Jon Shenoy, ? (alto sax); David Black, Michael Coates (tenor sax); Gemma Moore (baritone sax); Bunny Thompson (piano); ? (guitar); Paul Morgan (bass); ? (drums) + Gary Williams, Julia Sullivan, Nica Paris (vocals); Ben Holder (violin, vocals)*

More bells jingling all the way on Sky Arts with the Len Phillips Swing Orchestra directed by Joe Pettitt live from the Stables, Wavendon.

The singers predominated and they did the job well.

Gary Williams sang: It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year, White  Christmas, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and Winter Wonderland where he was joined by Ben Holder and Julia Sullivan.

Julia (pictured above) sang: Santa Claus is Coming to Town, The Christmas Song, I'll be Home for Christmas and duetted with Gary on The Christmas Waltz.

Ben Holder fiddled whist the band burned on The Man With the Bag and Sleigh Ride. Quite amazing - I thought he was going to saw the instrument in half! Must catch him again at a time when it's not Christmas!

Special guest Nica Paris gave us Merry Christmas Baby, which had a sizzler from Shenoy on alto, This Christmas and Silent Night. Reminded me of hearing Nica at Hoochie a few years back.

A lot of arrangers were mentioned including Callum Au, Colin Skinner and Trevor Vincent. I'm also curious to know who arranged the Swingin' Christmas Medley that merged seasonal songs with snatches of classics by Miller, Dorsey, Goodman etc. classics. It was brilliant.

Not a lot of instrumentalists were featured. Bennett and Hogg had a trumpet duet on What Are You Doing New Year's Eve? and Thompson played impressively during one of Julia's vocals.

A pleasant afternoon's viewing. I'm not sure how 'live' it actually was or if it had been recorded in front of an audience earlier but - who cares? Lance

*I didn't catch the name of the second alto, the guitarist or the drummer - he didn't look like the guy on the band's website.
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