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

18767 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 631 of them this year alone and, so far this month (July 31) 95.

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

Tue 11: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 12: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Abbie Finn Trio @ Sheepfolds, Sunderland. 5:00-10:00pm. Free. A National Macken Day event. AF3 on stage at 6:30pm. Tickets (free) from: www.eventbrite.co.uk. SOLD OUT!
Wed 12: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).CANCELLED! Back on Aug. 26
Wed 12: Jam session @ The tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 12: Look Left @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.

Thu 13: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 13: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 13: 58 Jazz Collective @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Stranton, Hartlepool. 8:00pm. Free. CANCELLED! Back on Aug. 27.
Thu 13: 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 14: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 14: John Settle Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. John Settle (vibes); Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 14: Bold Big Band @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £8.00 + bf.

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.

Monday, November 24, 2025

Groovetrain @ Pilgrim, Newcastle - Nov. 23

© Anon
Michael Lavery (vocals/guitar); Angela Newbrook, Steph Kay, Rebecca Patton (vocals); Les Watts (keys); Mitch Laddie (guitar/vocals); John Dawson (bass guitar); Ian Halford (drums/vocals); Si King (perc.); Danny Allan (saxes); David 'Showtime' Gray (trombone); Ross Laing (trumpet).

Pilgrim (Hoochie Coochies as was) on Pilgrim St., welcomed the many that had made the pilgrimage to the iconic music venue in Newcastle city centre. I doubt if as many pilgrims had made it to Lourdes. Why should they? Groovetrain weren't there, they were here in Newcastle and, as usual, pulling in their own following. Needless to say the Sold Out signs were flashed up.

The fans had travelled far and wide to hear/see the band. A group near me were from Liverpool or maybe they were staying at the big, posh Hotel Gotham  opposite on the site of the old fire station.

There were times when experiencing what Groovetrain were laying down on stage with such burning zeal that I wished the original fire station was still operative!

With bar boss Lavery  leading from the front the room was a mass of gyrating hips - there was little space left to gyrate anything else - vocals and great harmonies from the girls, wild sax from Danny Allan, Showtime and Ross Laing power shredding brass riffs and the funkiest, rockiest, soul searching rhythm section this side of the Motor City - and I don't mean Sunderland - hit the spot.

Hairy Biker Si King knocked seven shades out of his percussive armoury, Mitch Laddie composed 50 Shades of Blue as well as singing and soloing like Clapton, Halford on drums also aired his vocal chords and John Dawson gave the bass some meaning as did the keeper of the keyboards.

A lot of the material was new to me but that didn't lesson the impact of the songs alongside the ones that I did know by Steely Dan, Stevie Wonder, Bill Withers and Tower of Power.

I missed the second set as I was also due at the Globe - but I left making a promise to myself that at the next Groovetrain gig I'd go the distance. Lance 

Not That Kind; Love Theory; As; Minute by Minute; Lowdown; Peg; Clap Your Hands...Master Builder; What You Won't do; Only so Much Oil; Why Did You Do It?; Sweet Love; 50 Shades of Blue; Use me.

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