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

18482 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 346 of them this year alone and, so far this month (April 30 ) 80

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

May

Sun 03: Chilcott Jazz Mass @ St George’s Church, Jesmond, Newcastle. 9:30am. Free. Sung communion with Parish Choir (featuring Bob Chilcott’s music). A Jesmond Community Festival event.
Sun 03: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 03: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Feat. guest Mark Toomey (alto sax).
Sun 03: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 03: Tom Waits for No Man @ Oxygenic, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm (2:30pm doors). Neckties and Boxing Gloves album launch. £14.00 (gig & a CD); £8.00 (gig only). SOLD OUT!
Sun 03: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 03: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £3.76.
Sun 03: John Pope & John Garner @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00.

Mon 04: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 04: Pete Tanton’s Cuban Heels @ The Library, South Parade, Whitley Bay. 4:00-6:00pm. Free.
Mon 04: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 05: Leah Kirk (voice): Final Year Music Recital @ The Band Room, Music Studios, Assembly Lane, Newcastle University. 2:30pm. Free, open to the public.
Tue 05: Jenny Baker (voice): Final Year Music Recital @ The Band Room, Music Studios, Assembly Lane, Newcastle University. 4:20pm. Free, open to the public.
Tue 05: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Tue 05: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 06: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 06: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 06: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 07: Robert Finley @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £17.50. Excellent US falsetto soul/blues voice.
Thu 07: ALT @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Alan Law, Paul Grainger, Rob Walker. Thu 07: Liam & Shayo @ The Globe , Newcastle. 8:00pm. £5.00. Liam Oliver (guitar), Shayo Oshodi (vocals).
Thu 07: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 08: Alan Law Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. Law, Mick Shoulder, John Bradford.
Fri 08: Giles Strong & Richard Herdman @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Guitar duo.
Fri 08: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 08: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 08: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 08: Milne Glendinning Band @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 6:00pm . Free. A Late Shows event.
Fri 08: Nigel Kennedy @ The Hippodrome, Darlington. 7:30pm. Line-up inc. Alec Dankworth.

Sat 09: SH#RP Collective w. Lindsay Hannon @ Church of Holy Name, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £15.00 (inc. a welcome drink). Advance booking essential. Bring own snacks, drinks to be purchased at ‘donations’ bar. All proceeds to charity. A Jesmond Community Festival event.
Sat 09: East Coast Swing Band @ Jubilee Hall, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £10.00.

Wednesday, March 19, 2025

Springtime at the Black Swan - March 18

Laurence Harrison (guitar); Paul Grainger (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums) + Kate O'Niell (vocals); Paul Ruddick (alto sax); Robert Johnson (alto sax); Martin Waugh (piano); Jen Foster  (vocals); Owen Jones (double bass); Shayo Oshodi (vocals); Shivan Ruddick (trumpet); Leah Kirk (vocals); Alec Gamble (guitar); ? (percussion); Liam Oliver (guitar); David Gray (trombone); Esther Coombes (alto sax, clarinet); Ian Drever (vocals); Paul Skerritt (vocals); Jamie Watkins (double bass); Katrina Miller (vocals); Ruth Lambert (vocals) 

Spring is just around the corner. The Black Swan jam session continues to attract the regulars (sitting at their usual tables) and many new faces - where do they all come from? A questionnaire/survey is called for! The house trio usually comprises piano, bass and drums. This evening it was guitar, bass and drums. 

Guitarist Laurence Harrison opened with Days of Wine and Roses, Paul Grainger, bass, to his left, Tim Johnston, drums, to jam session MC Grainger's left. As guitarists go, Laurence can hold his own with any six-stringer, quite simply, a fabulous musician. Solar radiated across the room, the trio nicely warmed up. From here on in it was the usual revolving door with the many sitters-in hoping to catch MC Grainger's eye.

Front row, Kate O'Niell stepped forward two paces to sing a couple of numbers before the horn players took centre stage. Alto saxophonists Paul Ruddick and the up-and-coming Robert Johnson dovetailed nicely, PR the old hand, RJ learning on the spot - great stuff! Border raider Martin Waugh sat at the piano to play a couple of numbers. Our visiting Scot thought that was that. MC Grainger had other ideas, asking Martin to stay where he was and that's precisely what he did, a most welcome ad hoc member of the house band. 

Vocalists Jen Foster (My Favorite Things), Leah Kirk (Blues Skies) and Katrina Miller (No Moon at All) impressed, latecomers Esther Coombes (reeds) and David Gray (trombone) leapt into action - Esther laid back, David all-action. Guitarist Liam Oliver picked up Laurence Harrison's Gibson, making himself at home. And then the big hitters made their pitch - Paul Skerritt (bassist Jamie Watkins alongside) singing It Don't Mean a Thing, Ruth Lambert the tops, West Coast Blues the tune. 

The now traditional 'all-left-standing' finale wrapped things up, the Black Swan jam session wouldn't be the same without it. The next session is on Tuesday April 1. You'd be a fool to miss it.              
   
A 'big up' to Tim Johnston, house drummer for the whole session without a break. Russell
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