Bebop Spoken There

Ludovic Beier (Django Festival Allstars): ''Manouche means 'free man,' and gypsies have been travelers since they migrated west from India to Europe.'' (DownBeat March, 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

18402 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 266 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Mar. 31 ), 76

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

Wed 01: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 01: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 01: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 02: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: Musicians playing classical & orchestral music.
Thu 02: The Noel Dennis Band @ Prohibition Bar, Albert Road, Middlesbrough TS1 2RU. 7:00pm (doors). £10.84. Quartet plus special guest Zoë Gilby. Over 21s only.
Thu 02: Renegade Brass Band @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 02: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00. adv..
Thu 02: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 03: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 03: King Bees @ Billy Bootleggers, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). Free. Chicago blues.

Sat 04: Jake Leg Jug Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 04: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30-3:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 04: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Anthropology. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 04: Wild Women of Wylam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £10.00.
Sat 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 05: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 05: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free Quintet + guest Neil Brodie (trumpet).
Sun 05: Mark Williams & Tom Remon @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 05: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: Jazzmain @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00.

Mon 06: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 06: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 07: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 07: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Ben Lawrence (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Abbie Finn (drums).

Monday, October 06, 2025

Pensacola Boulevard @ Dorman's Jazz Club Middlesbrough - Oct. 2

Django Zazou (trombone/vocals); Donna Hewitt (tenor sax/clarinet); Neil Brodie (trumpet); Dave Archbold (keys); Ron Smith (bass); Mark Hawkins (drums); Vicky Jackson (vocals). 

Making their second visit as guest band this group of familiar and respected  local jazz musicians gave us a great night of entertainment with an eclectic mix of jazz and popular numbers.

A lively start was made with Vicky singing Goody Goody, it had  the band really swinging and nice solos from Neil on trumpet and Donna on clarinet.
Django then sang After You Get What You Want, with a nice bass intro from Ron.

A fine version of the popular Unchain My Heart, well sung by Vicky with full band backing. Mambo Italiano was then followed by a moving Carly Simon ballad.
 
Nobody Does It Better, taken from the film The Spy Who Loved Me, sung beautifully by Vicky included a nice piano intro from Dave and tenor sax from Donna.

Further numbers included Mess Around, Minor Swing, Orange Colored Sky, Hallelujah I Just Love Him So, before Vicky then sang with great gusto the Dolly Parton classic number Nine To Five.

Mark on drums and Ron on bass then set up a great Cuban rhythm for Django to sing Mama Inez, a well played number with fine trumpet, clarinet and piano solos from Neil, Donna and Dave respectively bringing the first set to a close.

The up tempo jazz/pop number Pencil Full Of Lead, with great drumming from Mark gave a lively start to the second set, this was then followed by Benny Golson's Killer Joe, with trumpet and clarinet soloing over excellent backing from the rhythm section.

Skyfall gave Vicky the chance to show her versatility as a singer as did Midnight In Moscow, for Django along with fine piano work from Dave.
Further numbers included Cheek To Cheek, Minnie The Moocher, and I Love Being Here With You. A nice Aretha Franklin version of Otis Redding's Respect  was meant to finish the night but an encore was demanded so Bessie Smith's Gimme A Pigfoot was provided by Vicky again singing with trumpet, clarinet, piano and trombone solos making for a great finish.

This was a different but certainly entertaining night of well played jazz that went down well with the audience.

Once again thanks go to the staff of Dorman's Club for their help and support with the night. Ron Hampton
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