Bebop Spoken There

Christian McBride: ''I believe we are living in a historically embarrassing moment in American history.'' - Downbeat December 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

18061 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 1025 of them this year alone and, so far, 39 this month (Dec. 14).

From This Moment On ...

DECEMBER 2025

Sat 20: Jazz Attack @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 11:00am. Free.
Sat 20: Alexia Gardner @ FIKA Art Gallery, Morpeth. 6:30pm. Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy. SOLD OUT!
Sat 20: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. CANCELLED!
Sat 20: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 20: Hoodoo Blues @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:15pm (doors). £14.25, £11.55. Dance class, social dancing, live music & Xmas Party. Live music from 9:00pm - Ruth Lambert, Giles Strong, Ian Paterson & John Bradford (jazz and blues).
Sat 20: John Pope Quintet @ Blank Studios, Newcastle. 7:30-8:30pm. £7.70 (inc. bf). Album recording session.

Sun 21: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. ‘Xmas Swingalong’. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 21: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00-5:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ o2 City Hall, Newcastle. 6:00pm. £35.80., £33.25., £31.00.
Sun 21: The Globe Xmas Party @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Live music.
Sun 21: Tweed River Jazz Band @ The Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:30pm. Free.

Mon 22: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 23: Paul Skerritt @ Chakh Dhoom, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Indian restaurant. Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Wed 24: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 24: Alexia Gardner @ The Townhouse, Bridge St., Morpeth. 1:30-4:30pm. ‘The A Capella Sessions’. Gardner, Paula Gardner, Alexia Hope Gardner Diamany.
Wed 24: Paul Skerritt @ Mambo Wine & Dine, South Shields. 1:30pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Thu 25: Alexia Gardner @ The Townhouse, Bridge St., Morpeth. 1:30-4:00pm. ‘All About the Bass Sessions’. Alexia Gardner, Paula Gardner, Jude Murphy.

Fri 26: ???

Sat 27: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. CANCELLED!
Sat 27: Leeds City Stompers @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free.

Sun 28: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 28: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 28: Paul Skerritt @ 3 Stories, High St. West, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 28: The Society Quartet @ Hilton Garden Inn, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Jason Holcomb & co.

Mon 29: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 30: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £8.00., £7.00. adv.

Wed 31: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 31: Lil Miss Mary & the Mr Rights Trio @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. ‘Early NYE Bash’. Rockabilly, rhythm & blues.
Wed 31: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. ‘Midnight in Manhattan’ NYE party. £49.46 (inc. bf) & £29.38 (inc. 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

Sunday, March 16, 2025

Vintage Explosion @ The Cluny, Newcastle - March 15

© Russell
William Hitchell (vocals, guitar); Duncan Kennedy (guitar); ? (piano); ? (tenor sax); Barry Steele (baritone sax); Richard Anderson (double bass); Douglas Macfarlane (drums) 

Anything Scott Bradlee (Postmodern Jukebox) can do (two billion views on YouTube), William Hitchell can do too. Bradley uploaded music videos in his Astoria, NYC apartment and global fame followed. Glaswegian Hitchell posted a video and went to bed. The following day, to his amazement, Hitchell found that overnight his video had been viewed 2.5m times and no fewer than 135,000 emails were in his inbox, many offering him gigs all over the world. 

© Russell
Vintage Explosion is a phenomenon. Constant touring, several album releases (2024's Saturday Night the latest), a growing fan base, the band's Newcastle gig sold out months ago. The Cluny couldn't have been busier. For those who know the venue - a split level space, seats at a premium, partially restricted sightlines - the joint was jumpin'. Fully ninety minutes before the band hit the stage, the all-ticketed audience queued and queued and queued...

Seemingly everyone had a (plastic glass) drink in hand (the one handpull on the bar didn't last long). As the lights went down the air of anticipation across the crowded room was palpable. Rock 'n' roll, rhythm and blues and the voice of the Main Man, William Hitchell - wow! Was this Sam Cooke Live at the Harlem Square Club or a Glaswegian singer killing 'em down in the Ouseburn? Sensational! Bootin' horns, hot dance floor guitar licks, honky-tonk piano, propulsive, slap-happy bass playing, Vintage Explosion sure can put on a show! 

The Wanderer and Runaround Sue had 'em singing along with Hitchell/Dion. You've Really Got a Hold on Me, a riotous Shake, Rattle and Roll (Joe Turner would have been impressed!), a screaming Lucille, we were witness to a non-stop revue, Hitchell and band looking the part in their black jacket and tie penguin suits. Was that sweat dripping off the walls? And then the moment many in the sold out audience had been waiting for...A Change is Gonna Come. Wow wee! What a voice!

Fully ninety minutes later Vintage Explosion left the stage. A foot-stomping, hollering crowd wanted more. A quick change to pristine white dinner jacket and Hitchell returned to the stage alone, this time with a guitar in hand. A most unlikely choice for an encore, My Way, couldn't be anything other than a communal sing along. Against the odds, it worked! Hitchell's band joined him for the 'outer' of all outers...Johnny B. Goode. Brilliant, absolutely brilliant! Russell

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