Bebop Spoken There

David Bailey (photographer): ''When I was 16 I wanted to look like Chet Baker. He was my idol - him and James Dean.'' (Talking Pictures documentary : Four beats to the bar and no cheating April, 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

18482 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 346 of them this year alone and, so far this month (April 30 ) 80

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

May

Sun 03: Chilcott Jazz Mass @ St George’s Church, Jesmond, Newcastle. 9:30am. Free. Sung communion with Parish Choir (featuring Bob Chilcott’s music). A Jesmond Community Festival event.
Sun 03: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 03: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Feat. guest Mark Toomey (alto sax).
Sun 03: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 03: Tom Waits for No Man @ Oxygenic, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm (2:30pm doors). Neckties and Boxing Gloves album launch. £14.00 (gig & a CD); £8.00 (gig only). SOLD OUT!
Sun 03: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 03: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £3.76.
Sun 03: John Pope & John Garner @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00.

Mon 04: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 04: Pete Tanton’s Cuban Heels @ The Library, South Parade, Whitley Bay. 4:00-6:00pm. Free.
Mon 04: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 05: Leah Kirk (voice): Final Year Music Recital @ The Band Room, Music Studios, Assembly Lane, Newcastle University. 2:30pm. Free, open to the public.
Tue 05: Jenny Baker (voice): Final Year Music Recital @ The Band Room, Music Studios, Assembly Lane, Newcastle University. 4:20pm. Free, open to the public.
Tue 05: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Tue 05: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 06: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 06: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 06: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 07: Robert Finley @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £17.50. Excellent US falsetto soul/blues voice.
Thu 07: ALT @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Alan Law, Paul Grainger, Rob Walker. Thu 07: Liam & Shayo @ The Globe , Newcastle. 8:00pm. £5.00. Liam Oliver (guitar), Shayo Oshodi (vocals).
Thu 07: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 08: Alan Law Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. Law, Mick Shoulder, John Bradford.
Fri 08: Giles Strong & Richard Herdman @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Guitar duo.
Fri 08: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 08: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 08: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 08: Milne Glendinning Band @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 6:00pm . Free. A Late Shows event.
Fri 08: Nigel Kennedy @ The Hippodrome, Darlington. 7:30pm. Line-up inc. Alec Dankworth.

Sat 09: SH#RP Collective w. Lindsay Hannon @ Church of Holy Name, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £15.00 (inc. a welcome drink). Advance booking essential. Bring own snacks, drinks to be purchased at ‘donations’ bar. All proceeds to charity. A Jesmond Community Festival event.
Sat 09: East Coast Swing Band @ Jubilee Hall, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £10.00.

Tuesday, December 23, 2025

Midnite Follies Orchestra @ The Spice of Life, London - Dec. 22

Mike Henry, Lewis Taylor, Pete Rudeforth (trumpets); Michael McQuaid, Alex Clarke, David Horniblow, (reeds); Alistair Allan (trombone, vocals), Rory Ingham (trombone); Martin Litton (piano); Spats Langham (guitar, banjo, vocals); Malcolm Sked (double bass, sousaphone); Richard Pite (drums)

Arriving 11:20 am at Cambridge Circus in time for a 12:30pm start would be soon enough, wouldn't it? Well, yes and no. The Spice of Life usually draws a decent crowd, however, an hour and a half ahead of the down beat, this Monday lunchtime gig saw punters queueing up the stairs and out onto the street.

The attraction? The Midnight Follies Orchestra, no less! Formed by the late Keith Nichols to perform the music of Duke Ellington, the MFO had lain dormant for quite some time. Dormant that is until Alistair Allan decided it was time to revive the ensemble. 

Using many of Keith Nichols' original charts, the star-studded orchestra opened with Jungle Nights In Harlem (a feature for Rory Ingham). Cotton Club Stomp tore it up, the full house roaring its approval. 

Taking it down a notch or two, bandleader A. Allan sang Let's Do It, thereby setting things up for a barnstorming Mahogany Hall Stomp (Mike Henry and Alex Clarke in the spotlight).

Black and Tan Fantasy, A. Allan singing No Strings (I'm Fancy Free) from Top Hat, to a terrific Potato Head Blues incorporating Keith Nichols' arrangement for three trumpets playing the famous Louis Armstrong stop time chorus (the three trumpets being Mike Henry, Pete Rudeforth and Lewis Taylor) and three clarinets - Ms Clarke and Messrs Michael McQuaid and David Horniblow - seeking to emulate Johnny Dodds. 

Rockin' in Rhythm took us up to the interval. It had been some set! 

An interval pint (a 'best bitter' Spice of Life pint) then in no time they were back at it. Tiger Rag taken at a frightening tempo didn't faze the ensemble. They were 'on it' as they say. Wow!  

Pete Rudeforth as Arthur Whetsell playing Luis Russell's Sweet Dreams of Love worked well, as did East St. Louis Toodle-oo. In the absence of Rico Tomasso it was down to Spats Langham to sing  Thanks a Million and, of course, he made a good job of it. 

The band took a breather as Martin Litton showed us how to play Carolina Shout - this alone was worth the price of admission. 

Spats Langham singing Truckin' lead us into the final number of the afternoon - It Don't Mean a Thing. MD Alistair Allan thanked each and every one of the Midnite Follies, and Spice of Life MC Richard Pite thanked all and sundry. Here's to 2026! Russell

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