Bebop Spoken There

Christian McBride: ''I believe we are living in a historically embarrassing moment in American history.'' - Downbeat December 2025

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

18061 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 1025 of them this year alone and, so far, 39 this month (Dec. 14).

From This Moment On ...

DECEMBER 2025

Wed 17: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Spanish City, Whitley Bay. 12 noon. £29.00 (inc. bf). ‘Festive Lunch’. VCJ on stage 12 noon (three sets 'til 4:00pm).
Wed 17: Lazy River Band @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. Veronica Perrin, Chris Perrin, John Farragher, Phil Rutherford
Wed 17: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 17: Paul Skerritt @ Middlesbrough Town Hall. 7:00pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Wed 17: A Jazzy Xmas @ Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm. Paul Edis (MD, piano); Jo Harrop (vocals); Kyran Matthews (tenor sax, soprano sax); Faye Thompson (alto sax, clarinet); Sue Ferris (flute, piccolo); Graham Hardy (trumpet, flugelhorn); Jason Holcomb (trombone);Emma Fisk (violin); Andy Champion (double bass); Matt MacKellar (drums).
Wed 17: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 18: Paul Skerritt @ YOLO, Ponteland. 7:00pm. ‘Swing & Jazz Night’. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Thu 18: Joe Steels & Friends @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:30pm. Free (donations).

Fri 19: Fraser Urquhart @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT! .
Fri 19: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free..
Fri 19: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free..
Fri 19: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00..
Fri 19: Castillo Nuevo @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:00pm. Free. .
Fri 19: Alexia Gardner @ FIKA Art Gallery, Morpeth. 6:30pm. Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy..
Fri 19: Paul Skerritt @ Middlesbrough Town Hall. 7:00pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes. .
Fri 19: Giles Strong Quartet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club..
Fri 19: Creakin’ Bones & the Xmas Dinners @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £13.01 (inc. bf)..
Fri 19: Mark Toomey Quintet @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.

Sat 20: Jazz Attack @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 11:00am. Free.
Sat 20: Alexia Gardner @ FIKA Art Gallery, Morpeth. 6:30pm. Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy. SOLD OUT!
Sat 20: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. CANCELLED!
Sat 20: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 20: Hoodoo Blues @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:15pm (doors). £14.25, £11.55. Dance class, social dancing, live music & Xmas Party. Live music from 9:00pm - Ruth Lambert, Giles Strong, Ian Paterson & John Bradford (jazz and blues).
Sat 20: John Pope Quintet @ Blank Studios, Newcastle. 7:30-8:30pm. £7.70 (inc. bf). Album recording session.

Sun 21: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. ‘Xmas Swingalong’. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 21: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00-5:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ o2 City Hall, Newcastle. 6:00pm. £35.80., £33.25., £31.00.
Sun 21: The Globe Xmas Party @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Live music.
Sun 21: Tweed River Jazz Band @ The Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:30pm. Free.

Mon 22: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 23: Paul Skerritt @ Chakh Dhoom, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Indian restaurant. Skerritt w. backing tapes.

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

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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