Bebop Spoken There

Ron Carter quoting Sonny Rollins: ''What we call jazz - that's keeping the world in equilibrium. I don't care what kind of music you like out here today. It all comes from jazz.'' (DownBeat August, 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

18799 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 663 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 12) 32.

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

August

Fri 14: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 14: John Settle Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. John Settle (vibes); Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 14: Bold Big Band @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £8.00 + bf.

Sat 15: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 15: Jake Leg Jug Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £16.26.

Sun 16: Vintage Explosion @ Cliffe Park, Roker, Sunderland SR6 8DB. 5:00-10:30pm. £44.00 (inc. bf).

Mon 17: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 20: Edson Angus Quartet @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 20: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Monday, June 02, 2025

Sunday night @ the Globe - the Ruth Lambert Quartet - June 1

© Sheila Herrick
Ruth Lambert (vocals); Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (bass); Tim Johnston (drums)

Impossible to review last night at the Globe. No disrespect to Ruth and the band who bravely struggled on despite the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune that they were faced with. 

However, a sound system that was initially non-existent before springing into life with a couple of supersonic bangs that could surely have been heard south of the river - any river - wasn't exactly conducive to an evening of classy jazz vocals.

© Sheila Herrick
The Yamaha keyboard too was in an eccentric mood - first it worked, then it didn't, then I began to stop caring. If something was going to go wrong it did.

And to top it all, someone seemingly requested Summertime. By now my cup was full and running over - not with good cheer I hasten to add!

Next Sunday it's the Jeffrey Hewer Quartet. Hewer is an electric guitarist... Lance

I Will Wait For You (no mic.); There Will Never be Another You (instrumental); Skylark; Let's Fall in Love; But Beautiful; That Old Devil Moon; Summertime; Don't Get Around Much Anymore; How Insensitive; Just Squeeze me; A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square (saved the night!); Caravan; How High the Moon?
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1 comment :

Russell said...

It was an 'interesting' night. The fortitude and professionalism of Ruth and the lads in trying circumstances was wholly admirable. It was an 'I was there' occasion, for all the wrong reasons.

Monday, June 02, 2025 8:54:00 pm

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