Bebop Spoken There

David Bailey (photographer): ''When I was 16 I wanted to look like Chet Baker. He was my idol - him and James Dean.'' (Talking Pictures documentary : Four beats to the bar and no cheating April, 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

18445 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 309 of them this year alone and, so far this month (April 20 ) 43,

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 24: Noel Dennis Trio @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. Dennis, Mark Willams, Andy Champion. SOLD OUT!
Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Trio Grand @ Land of Oak & Iron, Winlaton. 6:00-9:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: Ben Vince + The Exu @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £14.33., £11.16, £8.00. A ‘jazz adjacent’ gig!
Fri 24: Daniel John Martin w. Swing Manouche @ The Ship Isis, Sunderland. 7:30pm. £13.20 (inc. bf).

Sat 25: Giles Strong Quartet @ Hindmarsh Hall, Alnmouth. 7:30pm. CANCELLED!
Sat 25: Daniel John Martin w. Swing Manouche @ The Old Cinema Launderette, Durham. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £13.20 (inc. bf).
Sat 25: ‘Portrait in Evans’: Noa Levy & Alan Barnes w. Paul Edis Trio @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £24.00. Sage Two. ‘Portrait in Evans’. Levy, Barnes, Edis, Andy Champion & Steve Hanley.

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 26: Daniel John Martin w. Swing Manouche @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 26: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Ni Maxine + Nauta @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £17.51., £14.33., £11.16.
Sun 26: Joe Steels @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. Free (donations direct to the musicians). Joe Steels & Friends.
Sun 26: C.A.L.I.E @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £16.00., £14.00., £7.00.

Mon 27: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 27: House of Blues @ the Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £7.00., £5.00. advance. A student-led jazz session. ‘House of Blues’ is, perhaps, a misnomer.
Mon 27: Littlewood Trio @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £10.00 + bf, £7.00. + bf.

Tue 28: Long/Remon/Zilker @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Tom Remon plays Irish folk!

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 29: Long/Remon/Zilker @ The Ship Isis, Sunderland. 7:00pm. £10.00. + £1.00. bf. Tom Remon plays Irish folk!
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 29: Hackney Colliery Band @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. £25.00.

Thu 30: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: International Jazz Day & JANE AGM.
Thu 30: Duke Junction @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00. Nadim Teimoori (tenor sax); Jeff Hewer (guitar); Martin Longhawn (organ); Steve Hanley (drums). An International Jazz Day event & the 12th anniversary of Newcastle Jazz Co-op acquiring the Globe!

Friday, March 21, 2025

Paul Skerritt @ the Lit & Phil - March 21

© Patti
Paul Skerritt (vocals); Ben Phillips (piano); Jamie  Watkins (bass guitar); John Bradford (drums)

Swing singers are a dying breed - good ones that is, there are plenty of the other variety. Fortunately, Paul Skerritt is far removed from that 'other variety' as the Lit & Phil audience discovered to their delight this sunny afternoon.

Opening up with Don't Get Around Much Anymore he hit the deck running. The voice, the stagecraft and cool phrasing were all there. As well as the voice, I also judge a singer by what he does with his hands and our boy scored in that department.

There's a line in The Way You Look Tonight that always grabs me: Keep that breathless charm could almost describe a Skerritt vocal!

A move away from the GASbook for Sam Sparro's Black and Gold with a compelling accompaniment by Jamie Watkins on bass guitar.

King Cole's Straighten up and Fly Right swung along nicely but Have You Met Miss Jones? didn't. However, after a confused start it all came out in the wash.

Back on even keel with a rather beautiful version of Moon River and a swinging It Don't Mean a Thing (if it Ain't Got That Swing). It certainly had 'that swing' and Watkins and Bradford had solos to prove it. 

© Patti
Talking of solos ... Ben Phillips ensured that the house 'Steinway' (actually Kawai) grand was heard to great advantage beneath the nimble fingers of Ben Phillips. A young veteran of cruise ships, a graduate of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, a teacher of piano, trumpet, theory and holder of the record for the fastest descent of Mt Snowdon on a donkey (I made that bit up) he's a welcome addition to the north east scene.

Misty, the Errol Garner classic is a favourite with singers, pianists and listeners alike. By the most amazing of coincidences I just happened to have a book based on the film Play Misty For me in my pocket! It's a great film and, thanks to Paul, a great song.

It's Only a Paper Moon had an excellent drum solo. Unlike most drum solos you could actually equate it with the tune. Well done John B.

Paul Skerritt is a big Tony Bennett fan and his emotive rendition of I Left my Heart in San Francisco drew the afternoon's biggest round of applause. 

The show finished with that good old good one Cheek to Cheek and, as I headed homeward bound, I broke into a few Fred Astaire moves I'd mastered (more lies).

You can also catch Paul at the Glasshouse (nee Sage) on April 25. This time he's with his 17 piece big band - not to be missed!  Lance

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