Bebop Spoken There

Gary Bartz: ''Music is nature's gift to man. It's the only religion. We're living in a terrible era, but what a beautiful thing music is. Look how it brings us together like religion is supposed to; and with no language barriers.'' (Jazzwise September, 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

18878 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 742 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Sept. 4.) 21.

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

September.

Tue 08: Seijiro Murayama & Jean-Luc Guionnet @ Star & Shadow Cinema, Warwick St., Newcastle, NE2 1BB. 7.00pm. £10.00 (advance); £12.00 (on door); £.15.00 (solidarity).
Tue 08: SH#RP Collective @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. Coquetdale Jazz.
Tue 08: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 09: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: Jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 09: 58 Jazz Collective @ Hartlepool Cricket Club. 7:30pm. £7.00.
Wed 09: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 09: NONUNONU @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE. Excellent trio.

Thu 10: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 10: Jacenaite All Crew @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 10: Emma Rawicz INKYRA @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £22.30. Sage Two. Line-up: Emma Rawicz (sax); Scottie Thompson (piano, keyboards, synth); David Preston (guitar); Kevin Glasgow (bass guitar); Jack Thomas (drums).

Fri 11: Esther Bennett @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £10.00. Esther Bennett (vocals); Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass).
Fri 11: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 11: Ray Stubbs’ R&B All Stars @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £14.09 (inc. bf).

Sat 12: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 12: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £16.26 (inc. bf).

Sun 13: 58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00-3:00pm. Free.
Sun 13: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 13: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 13: King Bees @ Shape Patisserie, Darlington. 3:00pm. Free. Duo (Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor). A Rhythm & Blues Fringe event. Blues excellence.
Sun 13: Alligator Gumbo @ The Cluny. 5:00pm. £17.15.; £11.43; £5.72.
Sun 13: Eternal Triangle + Andy Champion @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. JNE.

Mon 14: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Friday, August 01, 2025

Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club - August 1

© Russell/Patti
Jim McBriarty (alto/soprano sax, clarinet, vocals); Alan Marshall (tenor sax, clarinet); Neville Hartley (trombone, vocals); Jeremy McMurray (keys); Alan Rudd (bass); Ian Stocks (drums); Olive Rudd (vocals)

Classic Swing stomped off with their eponymous signature tune and it soon became obvious that familiarity hadn't bred contempt as the soloists answered the call. This was jazz from an era when swing was the thing - timeless.

McBriarty  sang Angry, although of course he wasn't, the solos were spread around and the feelgood factor reached all four corners of the room.

Olive took over the mic for Just Friends and Almost Like Being in Love. Our girl was in good voice and the band in their element.

© Russell/Patti
They were even more in their element with 9:20 Special. There's something about train songs - A Train, Night Train, Daybreak Express etc. that always seems to hit the swingingest of grooves and this one was no exception. McBriarty on soprano, Marshall on tenor, Hartley on 'bone and McMurray on all 88 of the keys kept on track by Alan Rudd and Ian Stocks.

A thought occurred to me that I'd like to hear McBriarty and Marshall playing a clarinet duet...

Hartley's turn to sing and he opted for Sweet Lorraine. He also blew some smooth trombone. It's a great tune but Mitchell Parish's lyrics (I'm as happy as a baby boy, with a brand new choo-choo toy) don't have quite the same impact as the words he added to Hoagy's Stardust the year before (the nightingale tells his fairy tale).

Prior to the interval and the raffle, Olive sang All of Me (why not take all of me?). When the raffle was drawn the lucky winners opted for the wine or the chocolates.

The second set opened with an uptempo instrumental - Love For Sale - and the guys did Cole Porter justice.

McBriarty then sang Mama's Gone Goodbye. Perhaps she'd left with Olive who was about to wax eloquently on When the Midnight Choo-Choo Leaves for Alabam. Two choo-choos in one review! Mrs Rudd stayed on board for Some of These Days before the band took off Beyond the Blue Horizon.

Another vocal and 'bone offering from Hartley on Fats Waller's I've Got a Feeling I'm Falling before the show ended with a chaotic Doctor Jazz.

A lot of fun and a lot of good, swinging jazz at Cullercoats every Friday. Lance

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