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.

Monday, July 14, 2025

Album review: Olivia Cuttill Quintet - Tunes to be Swingin'

Olivia Cuttill (trumpet, compositions); Issey Chivers (vocals); Tom Harris (piano); Josh Vadiveloo (bass); Miles Pillinger (drums) + Alex Fisher (tenor sax); Geoff Cuttill (piano on tk 7); Graham Cuttill, Isabella Cuttill, Maya Mitra, Sam Virdis (vocals)

October last year the Olivia Cuttill Quintet played a lunchtime gig at Newcastle Uni that made a big impression on those present. Many rated it as their gig of the year and I myself placed it way up high in the ratings.

Four of the five members of the quintet that played at the University are also present on this album with Josh Vadiveloo replacing Fergus Quill on bass and Alex Fisher coming in on tenor.

Intro to Busy. An unaccompanied trumpet solo that segues into Busy and Chivers' vocal. Cever lyrics centered around a woman's multi-tasking abilities. Melodic trumpet solo.

Show Biz Casino, a rockin', rollin' jump-jivin' swinger with tenor and trumpet walkin' the bar New Orleans' style.

Moanin' - Chivers gives Lee Morgan's solo a vocalese twist. She has the vocal range to do it. Olivia's trumpet blast is of Jazz Messenger's standard and Vadiveloo has some nice touches on bass.

Intro to There's a House Down by the Station. This is a strange one. Lot's of chat going on with a piano tinkling away. presumably Olivia's late grandfather Geoff.

There's a House Down by the Station: a nostalgic vocal, some trumpet before the vocal group join in for a Saturday night sing-song around the old joanna in the parlour. Yes, truly a strange one.

Linger For a While With the Sun. A beautiful lyric with a vocal by Chivers that is absolutely spellbinding. Magic!

I've Won the Lottery. Trumpet brings in a swingin' vocal followed by some nifty keyboard dexterity, unbelievable vocalese and a workout on the skins by Pillinger.

The Boogie Woogie Bug. The vocal group diagnose the whole family who appear to have caught the aforementioned bug: "My mother's got the bug, my sister's got the bug, my brother's got the bug..." get the picture? It must be contagious because I think that I've got it too!

Cryin' Time: Olivia plays the blues with lots of pathos over a 3/4 rhythm. Piano picks it up. The piano gives it a pre-talkies cinematic feel that is enhanced upon with Olivia's return.

If you were at that gig in Newcastle you will want to check it out. If you weren't then check it out as soon as it comes up on the freebie channels.

Release date is August 29 but, the day before (August 28) the Olivia Cuttill Quintet are featured at the Chapel Allerton Festival, Leeds. Lance

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