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.

Friday, January 23, 2026

Album review: Betty Bryant - Nothin' Better to do (bry-mar music)

Betty Bryant (piano, vocals); Robert Kyle (tenor/soprano sax, flute, guiro); Robert Simon (bass except tks 4 & 5); Hussain Jiffry (bass tks 4 & 5); Kevin Winard (drums except tks 5 & 7); Aaron Serfaty (drums tks 5 & 7); Tony Guerrero (trumpet tk 8); Kleber Jorge (guitar tk 4); Luanne Homzy (violin, viola tks 4 & 9); Niall Taro (cello tks 4 & 9)

Betty Bryant now has 15 albums under her belt and BSH has to hold its head in shame as this is only the third one we've covered. However, as Betty is now 96 years old chances are that some of our reviewers weren't born when her recording career kicked off.
  
The late Ann Alex set the ball rolling with an enthusiastic review of Betty's 2019 album PROJECT 88  and I included 2024's LOTTA LIVIN' in my top ten vocal albums of that year. Nothin' Better to do is also a cert to be up there where the air is rarified.

You Are Not my First Love - the title gives you an idea where it's going. It swings along nicely  with a Basie-like piano intro from the Cool Miss B as saxist/flautist Kyle dubbed her. The 'dubber' himself has a  tasty solo as does 'Betty Cool', Simon and Winard. I Can't See For Looking, originally a hit for Nat 'King' Cole, the cool one has the same relaxed approach to the words and the music, Kyle blows soprano and there's more impressive basswork from Simon. I'm loving this album more and more as each track unfolds.

He May be Your Man is a Bryant original that incorporates a lot of well-known blues phrases. She sings then, she plays them and I get the impression she's lived them. More fine tenor. I Haven't Got Anything Better to do has one of the best ever lines: I think of him on alternate Thursdays, when I haven't got anything better to do - magic! Guitar and tenor over a bossa rhythm and some sensitive strings all go to make it rather special.

Time Was dates back to the mid-thirties. Kyle's flute adds to the Afro-Cuban groove. The voice sounds so beautifully young it's impossible to imagine her years but, then again, it takes age and experience to phrase so meaningfully. Mama Sue, composed by Bryant and Kyle, is a fun track describing the journey to a heavenly rib joint. Propulsive drums keep the beat going.

Thanks For You, first recorded by Frankie Laine back in his Mercury label days, is a good song, well worth reviving. Great voice and swinging piano. Awrite Then. A bluesy instrumental by Kyle with lots of solos including Guerrero on trumpet, Winard on drums and Betty laying down some nice chords.

Winter Warm from Bacharach and David has the strings back on board and a perfect vocal from the coolest lady in L.A. All bets are off - this one is going to be riding high when this year's albums are rated. It's out now - grab it! Lance
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