Total Pageviews

Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: '' A Love Supreme coincided with my search for meaning in life". (DownBeat, March 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

17873 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 194 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (March 14).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Laurence Harrison, Paul Grainger, Tim Johnston.
Tue 18: Phil Bancroft’s Beautiful Storm @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £13.20 & £11.00.. A JNE-Gem Arts co-promotion.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Nicknames.
Thu 20: Terri Green Experience @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £15.90.
Thu 20: Lindsay Hannon Trio @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Hannon’s ‘Tom Waits for No Man’ set.
Thu 20: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:30pm. Free.

Fri 21: Paul Skerritt @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 21: Giles Strong Quartet @ 1719, Hendon, Sunderland. 7:30pm. CANCELLED!
Fri 21: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Featuring special guest Martin Litton (piano).

Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30pm-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 22: Swamp Stomp String Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Sat 22: Rivkala @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sun 23: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 23: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Mississippi MacDonald @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. Blues.
Sun 23: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: The Great Deceivers @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Tom Atkinson & co play King Crimson (1969-1974). Atkinson (guitar); Josh Bentham (alto sax); Stu Dawson (bass); Jeff Armstrong (drums).

Mon 24: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 24: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

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

Wednesday, March 05, 2025

Jamming at the Black Swan - March 5

Stuart Collingwood (piano, vocals); Paul Grainger (double bass); Abbie Finn (drums) + Ian Drever (vocals); Edgar Bell (pocket trumpet); Harry Keeble (tenor sax); Luis Verde (alto sax); Leah Kirk (vocals); John Rowland (tenor sax); Bailey Rudd (drums); Lara Hopper (trumpet); Sam Toulson  (alto sax); Julija Jacenaite (vocals); Robert Johnson (alto sax); Kate O'Niell (vocals); Bailey Rudd (drums); Kate O'Neill (vocals); ? (piano); Olly Styles (tenor sax); Liam Oliver (guitar); Jay Straughan (drums); Joe (drums); Shayo (vocals); Jessica ? (piano); Becky Tuck (vocals); Remi Coulthard Boardman (vocals); David Gray (trombone); Esther Coombes (alto sax, clarinet); Ryan ? (alto sax); Owen Jones (double bass); Theo Nolan (drums)  


Don't get around much anymore sang Stu Collingwood. The Black Swan jam session was underway. As crooner Ian Drever got the nod, bassist Paul Grainger and drummer Abbie Finn went to the bar, leaving maestro Collingwood to guide Drever through Manhattan (Edgar Bell determined to get his two penn'orth in from the sidelines). 

Harry Keeble (tenor sax) and Luis Verde (alto sax) swanned up, casual as you like, Harry calling Invitation. We knew it would be incendiary but we didn't anticipate an explosive incident. The horns blazing, the rhythm section cooking, then...BANG! The bridge on MC Grainger's bass broke free, catapulting across the floor. PG made running repairs (literally running) in the wings. Maestro Collingwood's left hand worked overtime until PG returned to the stage. Thirty seconds later...BANG! This called for drastic action. PG grabbed his coat, car keys and disappeared up the stairs. 

All the while, 'Left Hand' Collingwood held it together with consummate ease as Harry and Luis continued their masterclass, from memory, Wayne Shorter's Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum. Mid-tune a roar erupted across the Black Swan as MC Grainger reappeared with a spare double bass! The show must go on and it did with the new rising star of the Black Swan jam session, Leah Kirk, singing Nature Boy (John Rowland blowing discreet tenor). Leah hung around for another one - There'll Never Be Another You. Great stuff!

Talking of rising/risen stars...trumpeter Lara Hopper and alto sax wizard Sam Toulson worked out on Softly As in a Morning Sunrise, drummer Bailey Rudd excellent in support. Long-time-no-see Julija Jacenaite got up to sing a couple, including Mood Indigo, accompanied by the increasingly impressive Robert Johnson (alto sax). RJ himself hit a groove on Strasbourg/St Denis. Excellent! 

They were massing, looking to have a blow. Kate O'Neill sang Bye Bye Blackbird, Olly Styles on tenor. The big hand was approaching ten, Liam (guitar), Joe (drums), Jessica (piano), Becky and Remy (vocals), Ryan (alto), David Gray (trombone), Esther (alto sax, clarinet), Owen Jones (bass), Theo (drums), there may have been others...Just another night at the Black Swan jam session. The next one (Tuesday 18 March) could be every bit as good as this evening, it could be better, who knows? Be sure to arrive early, down beat at half past seven.  Russell                           

2 comments :

Anonymous said...

Who wrote this?

Lance said...

Reviewer's name is, as always, at the end of the text in italics. We don't hide behind the cloak of anonymity!

Blog Archive