Bebop Spoken There

Ron Carter quoting Sonny Rollins: ''What we call jazz - that's keeping the world in equilibrium. I don't care what kind of music you like out here today. It all comes from jazz.'' (DownBeat August, 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

18799 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 663 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 12) 32.

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

August

Sat 15: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 15: Jake Leg Jug Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £16.26.

Sun 16: Vintage Explosion @ Cliffe Park, Roker, Sunderland SR6 8DB. 5:00-10:30pm. £44.00 (inc. bf).

Mon 17: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 20: Edson Angus Quartet @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 20: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Fri 21: Andrzej Baranek Trio @ The Lit & Phil. 1:00pm. £8.00. Andrzej Baranek (piano); Josh Cavanagh-Brierley (double bass); Dave Walsh (drums). SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: David Gray Flextet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.
Fri 21: Errol Linton & His Band + Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. Excellent blues double bill.

Monday, August 18, 2025

Sunday night @ the Globe: The Milne Glendinning Band - August 17

© Sheila Herrick
Debra Milne (vocals, shakers); Steve Glendinning (guitar, backing vocals); Mike Clarke (bass guitar, backing vocals)

In the wider world of jazz Debra Milne is the mover and shaker when it comes to booking bands from near and afar to gig at the Globe. The multi-tasking Debra also organises the Jazz Co-op's AGM sometimes live, sometimes on-line, serves behind the bar and has a day job as a pathologist. On top of all that she sings and co-leads the Milne Glendinning Band. The jazz world needs people like Debra.

Her co-leader, Steve Glendinning, apart from being a fine guitarist also runs the Globe's educational jazz workshop programme.

Mike Clarke, although he doesn't feature in the billing provides solid support on bass guitar.

Debra, perched atop a high chair presented a well-balanced mix of standards, jazz classics and originals sung in her inimitable style with powerful guitar  chording from Steve underpinning the vocals.

Thus we heard: Don't Wait Too Long; Stella by Starlight, with an extended intro from Steve; a new (to me) Dusty Springfield number, Spooky; Perdido with Steve and Debra trading fours; The Saga of Harrison Crabfeathers which was followed by the first original.

It's never easy to judge originals upon first hearing. I always need two or three listenings before I make my mind up so I'll pass judgement on Am I Missing Something? and The Imposter.

I liked Don't Know Why and the hardboiled Red Right Hand - I'll have to catch up on Peaky Blinders.

The first set closed with the Ida Cox number Wild Women Don't Have the Blues. As regular visitors to BSH will know, Nancy Harrow's classic 1960 album of the same name is one of my all-time favourite jazz vocal discs so Debra had big shoes to fill - I doubt if even Samara Joy could!

The second set followed a similar pattern and included: Dance me to the End of Love; Where Are we Going?; The Nearness of You; Too Busy For Thinkin'; Stay; Everything is Gonna be Funky (w. backing vocals) and a blistering Caravan  which sent me homeward bound only to find my own particular caravan (Metro) was 39 minutes away - perhaps there were camels on the track. The 27 bus was also late so by the time I made it home I was the terrestrial version of jetlagged.

Still I'd had a pleasant evening. 

Next Sunday it's the Chris Coull Quartet with trumpet ace Coull, Joe Steels (guitar), Andy Champion (bass) and John Bradford (drums). Lance

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