Bebop Spoken There

Ludovic Beier (Django Festival Allstars): ''Manouche means 'free man,' and gypsies have been travelers since they migrated west from India to Europe.'' (DownBeat March, 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

18402 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 266 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Mar. 31 ), 76

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

April

Fri 03: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 03: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 03: King Bees @ Billy Bootleggers, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). Free. Chicago blues.

Sat 04: Jake Leg Jug Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 04: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30-3:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 04: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Anthropology. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 04: Wild Women of Wylam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £10.00.
Sat 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 05: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 05: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free Quintet + guest Neil Brodie (trumpet).
Sun 05: Mark Williams & Tom Remon @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 05: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: Jazzmain @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00.

Mon 06: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 06: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 07: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 07: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Ben Lawrence (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Abbie Finn (drums).

Wed 08: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 08: Jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 08: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 08: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 08: Zoë Gilby & Johnny Hunter @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.

Thu 09: Tom Remon + A.N. Other @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 09: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.
Thu 09: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra w. Dan Johnson @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. £15.00. inc. bf.

Monday, February 17, 2025

Sunday night @ the Globe: Gerry Richardson Quartet - Feb. 16

© Malcolm Sinclair
Gerry Richardson (organ, vocals); Garry Linsley (alto sax); Rod Sinclair (guitar); Paul Smith (drums)

McGriff, McDuff, Jimmy Smith, Shirley Scott and Mike Carr among others may no longer be with us but, Mercy, Mercy, Mercy, Gerry Richardson is still around and delivering the soulful, funky grooves and forearm smashes beloved by his forerunners. The B3, or in this case the Crumar Mojo, is in safe hands. Last night's sold out Globe certainly wouldn't argue.

Aided and abetted by his three henchmen, who were namechecked after every solo, the Railway St. venue was transformed into a bar in downtown Philly or Detroit.  Some called it rock and roll although jazz audiences, if they like a rock number, seek absolution from Lady Day and John Coltrane by calling it rhythm and blues.

© Malcolm Sinclair
Lady Day and John Coltrane was one of several vocals by Gerry and it always goes down well. It's rather like referring to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit in church. Regarding his vocals, he had the proverbial frog in his throat but like the trouper/trooper that he is the bluesy lyrics rolled off his tongue maybe even adding a Tom Waits-like authenticity.

Linsley blew some fiery alto - at times Garry reminded me of Gerry's old sparring partner the late Nigel Stanger.

Sinclair threatened to ignite the Telecaster and sounded nothing like Keith Richard. Instead it was Clapton who provided the inspiration  or was it vice versa?

When it comes to drummers Paul Smith is up there and, pound for pound, a match for any of the local big hitters. He should make the trip north from Teesside more frequently although last night's closure of the Redheugh Bridge to traffic may have given him second thoughts!

Still, what's a minor detour compared to playing with a band like this? Look forward to catching them again in the not too distant future. Lance

Comin' Home Baby; Soul Shadows (v); My Mother's Eyes; Since I Fell For You (v); African Sunset; Money's Getting Cheaper (v); Midnight Special; Mercy, Mercy, Mercy; That's Alright (v); Lady Day and John Coltrane (v); Just Squeeze me; I Put a Spell on You (v); I Think I'll Lay Waste To Myself Tonight (v); Sunny

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