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.

Tuesday, March 25, 2025

Tuba Skinny livestreaming from the Tigermen Den - March 24

Shaye Cohn (cornet, trumpet); Craig Flory (clarinet); Barnabus Jones (trombone); Max Bien-Kahn (guitar, tenor banjo); Greg Sherman (guitar); Todd Burdick (sousaphone); Robin Rapuzzi (washboard)

The livestream. Lockdown inspired many a livestream, some more successful than others. Emmet Cohen and Rossano Sportiello continue to livestream, albeit less frequently than at the height of the pandemic, and Way Down Yonder, Tuba Skinny.  

Busking on the streets of the Crescent City, playing regular gigs and maintaining residencies at venues with evocative names (the Barnett Hotel, Buffa's Bar, Vaughan's Lounge), Tuba Skinny's latest livestream from New Orleans served as a fundraiser for the band's forthcoming cycling tour of northern Europe. Yes, that's right, during June and July the Tuba Skinny guys and gals will be cycling from gig to gig, busking along the way, hoping to pick up extra bookings to help fund their adventures.

The Tigermen Den on Royal Street (neighbouring Burgundy Street and North Rampart Street) offered Tuba Skinny the space to set up and livestream to the world. The place doesn't look up to much, more homely shack than performance space. If you've been there, tell BSH about it.  

Noon (Central Standard Time), the livestream went 'live'. Initially no sound, much toing and froing, the technical aspects of livestreaming being taken care of. Shaye Cohn and Robin Rapuzzi would share MC duties, the occasional vocals would be handled by guitarist Greg Sherman. Maple Leaf Rag opened the show. The seven piece outfit has grown a global fan base thanks to hundreds of YouTube videos (many/most uploaded by fans) and numerous recordings. One hundred plus fans were watching the stream, many posting comments. Tuba Skinny could be described as 'laid back' (almost literally!), the band performing with a nonchalance born of countless gigs and, more likely than not, thousands of hours locked away in the woodshed.

Tuba Skinny originals (including Some Kind-a-Shake and Sweet Olive) sat comfortably alongside familiar 'classic jazz' numbers (Cushion Foot Stomp and Kansas City Stomp but two of many highlights). Tuba Skinny gigging in Europe is a rarity (the UK, all but never), this summer it's time to take the bike out of the garage, give it a maintenance check and head across the Channel. Russell                                   

Set list: Maple Leaf RagMessin' AroundBallin' the JackSweet Potato BluesOnce in a WhileSweet Like ThisSome Kind-a-ShakeBellaminaEagle Ridin' PapaCushion Foot StompHot TownMagnolia StrollKansas City StompSanI'm Going to GermanyJones Law BluesCome on in.   

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