Bebop Spoken There

Melissa Aldana: ''Having to play a ballads album, which is something very revealing for a saxophone player, would help me to question some new aspects of how to go deeper into sound." (DownBeat May, 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

18621 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 485 of them this year alone and, so far this month (June 14) 37

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

June

Thu 18: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 18: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 18: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 18: 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 19: Joe Steels Group @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 19: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 19: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 19: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 19: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 19: Ferg’s Imaginary Big Band @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £14.33., £11.16., £8.00.
Fri 19: Martin Litton @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. £13.01 (inc. bf); £6.50 (inc. bf); £15.00 on the door. Solo piano. CANCELLED!
Fri 19: Jools Holland’s R&B Orchestra @ Hippodrome, Darlington. 7:30pm. Joe Webb support set.
Fri 19: Hot Club du Nord @ Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 19: Jive Aces: The Roots of Rock & Roll @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £20.00 + bf.

Sat 20: Tyne Valley Big Band @ Tynedale Beer Festival, Corbridge. 5:00-6:00pm.
Sat 20: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 20: Red Kites Jazz @ Staithes Café, Dunston. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Sat 20: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Trinity Church, Gosforth, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00. NCRO w. guests Dean Stockdale & Nick Ward.

Sun 21: From Lagos to Longbenton: Unity in the Community @ Sunderland Minster. From 1:30pm. Free. A multi-bill Unity in the Community event, inc. From Lagos to Longbenton.
Sun 21: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 21: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free. Trio w. Graham Hardy.
Sun 21: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Magpies of Swing @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 22: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 23: Alan Law Trio @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free.
Tue 23: Jude Murphy & Dan Stanley @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 24: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 24: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 24: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Saturday, November 01, 2025

Paul Booth w. Strictly Smokin' Big Band play Pet Sounds @ Pilgrim - Oct. 31

© John Lyons*
Paul Booth (tenor/soprano sax, flute, low D whistle, arranger); Michael Lamb (MD/trumpet); Dick Stacey, Billy Bradshaw, Tom Rushton (trumpets); Mark Ferris, Kieran Parnaby, Chris Kurgi-Smith, John Flood (trombones); Steve Summers, Keith Robinson, Jamie Toms, Matthew Forster, Niall Armstrong (reeds); Graham Don (piano); Pawel Jedrzejewski (guitar); Michael Whent (bass guitar); David McKeague (drums); Alice Grace, Jane Davidson, Michael Lavery (vocals); Jack Littlewood (perc.)
Paul Booth, SSBB, the Beach Boys and a couple of extra singers including the venue's owner; put them all together and see what happens. It could be the biggest disaster since the sinking of the Titanic or it might just be an unmitigated triumph.

© John Lyons
I'm pleased to say it was undoubtedly the latter and no might just be about it When the band hit the deck with Light my Fire by the Doors we knew they would keep their end of the bargain. Next up, the man of the moment, Paul Booth, emerged for Twin Flame and his own Twitterbug Waltz - another box ticked. The serpentine lines of his soprano interweaving its way around the melody to great effect.

© John Lyons
So far so good but now we were into the nitty gritty: the title track of the album we were celebrating - Pet Sounds. An instrumental but what a blast! Drums and congas etc gave it a workout and a half. Chris Kurgi-Smith did some super sliding and Paul did some super saxing before they surfed off into the great beyond. 


© John Lyons
By now the packed room was approaching frenzy and the best was yet to come. Alice, looking like ten million dollars and sounding like twenty million sang I'm Waiting For the Day with a nice guitar solo from Pav before one of the Beach Boys' mega hits, Sloop John B, brought bar owner Michael Lavery to the mic for a vocal that brought the house down. Michael, known by many as the frontman of soul and funk band Groove Train may not have been as well known to jazz fans but he is now! With backing vocals from Jane and Alice this was the real deal.

© John Lyons
Prior to tonight Jane Davidson was a new name to me but her strident, almost theatrical voice was up to the the task of being heard above a shouting big band that had both Booth and Toms on tenors slugging it out either side of her. The tune was Don't Talk. We didn't, instead we shouted our approval. That's Not me featured Parnaby and Summers on trombone and alto respectively before the set closed with I Know There's an Answer. This latter number once more featured Michael L as well as solos from Niall, Paul and Billy Bradshaw whose trumpet solo was one of the evening's many surprises.

© John Lyons
The second set opened with Alice singing Wasn't Made For These Times with another super trumpet solo, this time from Rushton; You Still Believe in me (solos by Matt on tenor and Keith on alto); Let's Get Away For Awhile (Graham Don); Caroline, No (Jane); Here Today with a bop chorus by the saxes that even had Paul clapping in appreciation of their dexterity.

© John Lyons
An emotional God Only Knows featuring Paul and Alice - not a dry glass in the house then the vocal trio had fun with Wouldn't it be Nice before the grand finale - Good Vibrations (not from the album) - demonstrating Mr Pilgrim's vocal capabilities which range from falsetto to basso profundo.

This had been a night to remember, to savour, to tell your grandkids about as everyone who made their pilgrimage to Pilgrim St. will most surely concur. Welcome home Paul Booth even though it was only for  one night. Lance

* All photos are © John Lyons. MORE.
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