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.
Sun 03: Brass Fiesta @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 10:30pm. Free.

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.

Sunday, August 03, 2025

Album review: Emma Smith - Bitter Orange (LA Reserve Records)

Emma Smith (vocals); Jamie Safir (piano); Conor Chaplin (bass); Luke Tomlinson (drums)

A new album by Emma Smith is an event to celebrate and Bitter Orange is certainly one to raise a glass to. Is this her third or fourth? Who's counting? Just as I was captured by her debut album Meshuga Baby, Bitter Orange also has me ensnared.

The voice control is as perfect as I've come to expect and the unusual intervals along with phrasing that is as unique as Sinatra's make Emma Smith a voice to be reckoned with way beyond the confines of our island's shores.

Hey World, Here I am (Intro): A mere 36 seconds is not much, I know, but enough to tell me it's going to be worthwhile listening to the rest. Jule Styne composed I'm the Greatest Star for Barbra Streisand - Emma Smith also fits the description. Nobody has the recipe for Nat 'King' Cole's Frim Fram Sauce although there are a few unauthenticated ones on Google. The body count is said to be rising.

Cole Porter's Make it Another Old Fashioned, Please, originally sung by Ethel Merman in the 1940 Broadway hit Panama Hattie, and later honed to perfection by Julie London, has Emma becoming a paid-up member of that exclusive (Julie) London club. Tonight, from West Side Story, not only has Emma at her best but also reminds us just what a swinging trio Safir, Chaplin and Tomlinson are.

Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered is beautiful, beguiling and breathtaking. A classic interpretation of Rodgers and Hart's masterpiece. London Pride was composed by Noel Coward and a beer of the same name is still brewed by Fullers and available via, cask, can or bottle. Although Fuller's London Pride has been known to inspire bar room baritones, Emma goes for Noel Coward's blitz inspired ballad.

What Took You so Long? An original by Emma and not to be confused with a song of the same name by Emma Bunton formerly known as 'Baby' Spice (she's now 49). Smith gets the nod on this one.

I'm in the Middle of a Muddle, composed by Mack Davis, Al Hoffman and Jerry Livingstone for Disney's 1950 animated film Cinderella, it didn't make the final cut. However, Emma's version shows the Disney Studio the error of their ways. How does she manage to unearth these gems?

Funny Face segues into My Funny Valentine and back again with the verse in the middle. The overworked Rodgers and Hart classic has long needed a shake-up and Emma does just that. 

Polka Dots and Moonbeams brings this delightful album to a close. There's a launch at Ronnie's on August 6 & 7. Four shows over the two nights. Lance

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