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

18445 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 309 of them this year alone and, so far this month (April 20 ) 43,

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

April

Thu 23: FILM: Big Mama Thornton: I Can’t Be Anyone But Me @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. 6:15pm. Dir. Robert Clem (2025).
Thu 23: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 23: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 23: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra & Musicians Unlimited @ ARC, Stockton. 8:00pm. £19.00. inc. bf.

Fri 24: Noel Dennis Trio @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. Dennis, Mark Willams, Andy Champion. SOLD OUT!
Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Trio Grand @ Land of Oak & Iron, Winlaton. 6:00-9:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: Ben Vince + The Exu @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £14.33., £11.16, £8.00. A ‘jazz adjacent’ gig!
Fri 24: Daniel John Martin w. Swing Manouche @ The Ship Isis, Sunderland. 7:30pm. £13.20 (inc. bf).
Fri 24: TBC @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm.

Sat 25: Giles Strong Quartet @ Hindmarsh Hall, Alnmouth. 7:30pm. CANCELLED!
Sat 25: Daniel John Martin w. Swing Manouche @ The Old Cinema Launderette, Durham. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £13.20 (inc. bf).
Sat 25: ‘Portrait in Evans’: Noa Levy & Alan Barnes w. Paul Edis Trio @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £24.00. Sage Two. ‘Portrait in Evans’. Levy, Barnes, Edis, Andy Champion & Steve Hanley.

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 26: Daniel John Martin w. Swing Manouche @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 26: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Ni Maxine + Nauta @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £17.51., £14.33., £11.16.
Sun 26: Joe Steels @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. Free (donations direct to the musicians). Joe Steels & Friends.
Sun 26: C.A.L.I.E @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £16.00., £14.00., £7.00.

Mon 27: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 27: House of Blues @ the Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £7.00., £5.00. advance. A student-led jazz session. ‘House of Blues’ is, perhaps, a misnomer.
Mon 27: Littlewood Trio @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £10.00 + bf, £7.00. + bf.

Tue 28: Long/Remon/Zilker @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Tom Remon plays Irish folk!

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 29: Long/Remon/Zilker @ The Ship Isis, Sunderland. 7:00pm. £10.00. + £1.00. bf. Tom Remon plays Irish folk!
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 29: Hackney Colliery Band @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. £25.00.

Sunday, July 06, 2025

New Century Syncopated Seven @ Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club - July 5

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

The 'Syncopated Seven' is a seven piece band drawn from the ranks of the New Century Ragtime Orchestra. A new venture (the smaller band made its debut at Prohibition Bar as an even smaller combo - just the six of them), the band's special guest, from Birmingham, 'classic jazz' era percussionist Nick Ward, met up with his County Durham/Northumberland/Tyne and Wear based bandmates on Larchfield Street in good time for a half past twelve start.

The weather set fair, Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club's loyal following once again turned out in force. Teas, coffees and, for some, something a little stronger, the full house was ready and waiting. Right on time, the Syncopated Seven stomped off with Stomp Your Stuff. A blues - Close Fit Blues - hit the spot and it wasn't long before Jim McBriarty sang the first of many numbers, the ever-popular Memories of You.

Throughout the afternoon the frontline - McBriarty (alto sax, clarinet), Gavin Lee (tenor sax, clarinet), Dave Hignett (trumpet, cornet) and veteran 'boneman Neville Hartley - shared out the solos, ably supported by the ace rhythm section, comprising Keith Stephen (banjo), Phil Rutherford (tuba) and the aforementioned Brummie, Nick Ward. 

The set list featured several songs written by or associated with Clarence Williams, Benny Moten's South scored heavily, as did Long, Deep and Wide. McBriarty pretended to be Angry (D. Hignett solo) and the first set concluded with another J. McBriarty vocal feature on Man from the South.

The interval: a chat with him, him and her, then it was time to help supplement the jazz economy - yes, it was raffle time! Your correspondent can report a bottle of Rijoca made its way back to Tyneside (Hic! Hic! Hooray!) and when a second winning number was drawn out of the hat, BSH did the right thing saying: Put it back!

Second set: San (another J. McBriarty vocal number), Rumba Negro (Basie/Moten) featured solos across the frontline and from guest Nick Ward, the frontline took five to allow the rhythm section to shine on Russian Rag, and, from 1924, Jack Stanley's I Had Someone Else Before I Had You made for a varied programme. Dreaming the Hours Away (Clarence Williams and his Jazz Kings) put Gavin Lee in the spotlight, inviting comparison with Coleman Hawkins and to wrap up a(nother) fine session here at St Augustine's Parish Centre, the New Century Syncopated Seven were Harlem Bound.          
         
The New Century Syncopated Seven's next engagement finds the band at Blaydon Jazz Club on Monday 21 July (Black Bull, Bridge Street), 8:00pm start, £10.00. on the door. See you there! Russell   
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