Bebop Spoken There

Jools Holland (on his 2026 spring/summer tour): ''With the mighty [R&B] Orchestra, our wonderful boogie woogie singers, and the brilliant Joe Webb opening the shows [including Darlington Hippodrome, June 19], we're in for some very special evenings of music.'' The Northern Echo February 5, 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

18263 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 117 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Feb. 6), 17

From This Moment On ...

February

Sat 07: The Big Easy @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 07: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30-3:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 07: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. St Thomas & Bésame Mucho. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 07: Side Cafe Oᴙkestar @ Café Under the Spire, Gateshead. 6:30pm. Table reservations: 0191 477 3970.
Sat 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 08: Swing Tyne @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12 noon (doors). Donations. Swing dance taster class (12:30pm) + Hot Club de Heaton (live performance). Non dancers welcome.
Sun 08: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 09: Mark Williams Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 09: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 10: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 11: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington.. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 11: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 12: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 13: Noel Dennis Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm . £9.00. Dennis (trumpet, flugelhorn); Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 13: Joe Steels @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 13: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm.
Fri 13: Tom Remon & John Moriarty @ The Ship Isis, Silksworth Row, Sunderland SR1 3QJ. 7:00pm. £10.00 + £1.00 bf.

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

Monday, March 24, 2025

Paul Hartley Quartet featuring Jeff Guntren @ the Moor Club, Heaton Moor, Stockport - March 23

© Jeff Pritchard
Paul Hartley  (guitar); Jeff Guntren (tenor sax); Ken Marley (bass); Dave Walsh drums.

As Paul explained in his informative preview on BSH earlier last week, Jeff Guntren was born in the state of Iowa, USA near the town of Davenport which is well known as being the birthplace of jazz legend Bix Beiderbecke. 

Jeff now lives in Bramhall, a town close to Stockport, and a place I spent a lot of time in when I was younger, particularly in the park when we had lots of snow in winter. In summer we'd hang out at the open air swimming pool. The pools (there was also an indoor one) have long gone but the park and hall are still there.
I digress - back to the gig.    

After introducing himself to the audience Jeff started the show with an uptempo  Have You Met Miss Jones? which had everyone cooking up a storm. Next we heard a great version of Alone Together a number I first heard Hank Mobley play on the brilliant Jazz Messengers at the Cafe Bohemia album. 

Jeff then changed down a gear into ballad mode on Jimmy Van Heusen's  Darn That Dream  after which came a number that Joe Henderson liked to play Bronislaw Caper's  Invitation. By the end of the first set everyone was in agreement - Jeff Gundren  knew his way around the saxophone!       

After a short interval the quartet did a tune that Dexter Gordon recorded on Blue Note, You Stepped Out Of A Dream.and then did the Freddie Hubbard classic in 3/4 time Up Jumped Spring  which featured some great basswork from Ken Marley plus Dave Walsh doing some tasty drumwork.  

After an ultra-fast I'll Remember April the show closed with Ornette's composition Turnaround.     

To sum up the evening was highly enjoyable, and for a change the trains for the last 3 weeks have arrived on time and also the taxis back home have improved somewhat. I once owned a record  by Milt Jackson - Things Are Getting Better - so maybe that's an omen!  

Next week the band at the Moor Club on March 30 is the Sam Lightwing  Quartet Sunday night 8:00-10:00pm. Mike Farmer

Have You Met Miss Jones?; Alone Together; Darn That Dream; Invitation; You Stepped Out of a Dream; Up Jumped Spring; I'll Remember April; Turnaround.
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