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: 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

Tuesday, July 22, 2025

New Century Syncopated Seven @ Blaydon Jazz Club - July 21

© Roly Veitch
Jim McBriarty (alto sax, clarinet, vocals); Gavin Lee (tenor sax, clarinet); Dave Hignett (trumpet, cornet); Neville Hartley (trombone); Keith Stephen (banjo); Phil Rutherford (tuba); Nick Ward (drums)

A little over a year ago it was the Syncopated Six. Now we have the New Century Syncopated Seven - a first gig at Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club drew a large crowd, then this evening in Blaydon, there was a good turn out for more of the same Prohibition era sounds. Charts painstakingly arranged by Dave 'Svengali' Kerr, band manager Phil Rutherford (tuba) herding the cats (make that 'jazz cats'), we were ready to go.

Stomp Your Stuff. They (the band) did, we, the audience, were tempted. South hit home (it's a number favoured by cross border raiders the Tenement Jazz Band), Candy Lips found favour with the Black Bull regulars, Jim McBriarty sang Angry (he wasn't, really) and Man from the South prompted one wag in the Seven to say to his fellow bandmates: Right, good luck! And off they went. Great stuff!

San, Blue Again, Rumba Negro - sparkling solos from Neville Hartley (trombone), Keith Stephen (banjo) and the Seven's guest star, drummer Nick Ward - proved to be a highlight, the Blaydon Jazz Club  audience liked what it was hearing. Dave Hignett made a telling contribution (both trumpet and cornet), Gavin Lee never fails to impress, whether blowing tenor sax or wielding the old licorice stick, and the rhythm section - Phil Rutherford (tuba), Keith Stephen (banjo), Brummie Nick Ward (period percussion) - kept the Seven on the straight and narrow. 

Keep an ear cocked for news of the New Century Syncopated Seven's next gig, it's a band well worth catching. 

Blaydon Jazz Club's August concert (Monday 18) features Mick Shoulder's excellent Swing Manouche. See you there. Russell 
at

No comments :

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments ( Atom )

Blog Archive