Bebop Spoken There

Emma Rawicz: "In a couple of years I've gone from being a normal university student to suddenly being on international stages." DownBeat January 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

18246 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 100 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 31), 100

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Wed 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 04: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 04: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 05: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject:Times of the Day & Trios.
Thu 05: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Special guest Emma Wilson.
Thu 05: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 06: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 06: Durham Alumni Big Band & Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn Theatre. 7:30pm. £12.00. Two big bands on stage together!
Fri 06: Nauta + Littlewood Trio @ Little Buildings, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Double bill + jam session.
Fri 06: FILM: Made in America @ Star & Shadow Cinema, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Ornette Coleman.
Fri 06: Deep Six Blues @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm.

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.

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

Saturday, April 26, 2025

Paul Skerritt Big Band @ the Glasshouse - April 25

© Russell
Paul Skerritt (vocals); Stuart Fowler (MD); Dave Hignett, Michael Lamb, Sam Armstrong, Benny Coxon (trumpets); Conor Emery, Kieran Parnaby, Alex Utting, Chris Gray (trombones); Dan Johnson, Kim Skerritt, Sue Ferris, Jamie Toms, Niall Armstrong (reeds); Jeremy McMurray (keys); Mark Williams (guitar); Jamie Watkins (bass guitar); John Bradford (drums) 

Paul Skerritt's second appearance at the Glasshouse - it's becoming an annual fixture at the venue - was well-attended by an audience who were out to have fun. They were at the right place, at the right time, with the right performer to give then just that - fun!

This wasn't Gateshead, it was Vegas in its heyday with the Rat Pack compressed into one personality backed by a swinging big band.

© Russell
Twenty-four songs, interspersed with two-way audience banter, spread over two one hour sets made for an evening of GASbook classics and more contemporary material sung by a near master of the art of conveying a meaningful lyric.

Most of the songs were medium tempo swingers and they were great, However, a slow, romantic ballad that would have had couples in the audience sighing and going all gooey-eyed wouldn't have gone amiss. I know that Me and Mrs Jones falls into that category but it's not quite one to go public on. 

I loved Birth of the Blues. To me that was the recording that indicated that Sinatra was upping his game from the inane material of his latter years at Columbia to the swinging years at Capitol. Skerritt captured the mood to perfection.

Both sets had an unannounced Basie-style overture from the band. They were swinging and I knew that if anything was to go wrong it wouldn't be their fault.

Nothing went wrong - see you next year! Lance

Just Say Hello; Fly me to the Moon; Hooray For Love; I've Got You under my Skin; Artificial Flowers; The Lady is a Tramp; Hard Hearted Hannah; The More I See You; Happy Together; Me and Mrs Jones; Mack the Knife; Mooh River; Beyond the Sea; Ain't That a Kick in the Head?; Eye of the Tiger; Minnie the Moocher; Come Fly With me; American Boy; Birth of the Blues; Mr Brightside; American Beauty Rose; My Way; Can't Take my Eyes Off You; That's Life.

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