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

18818 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 682 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 20) 51.

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 25: Michael Young Trio @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 26: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 26: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 26: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 27: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 27: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 27: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Thu 27: 58 Jazz Collective @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Stranton, Hartlepool. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 27: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00.

Fri 28: Graham Hardy Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 28: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 28: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 28: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.

Sat 29: Brian Jackson @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 8:30pm (doors). £32.00.

Sun 30: Musicians Unlimited @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: Tango Jazz Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 31: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Sunday, March 29, 2026

Gerry Richardson Quartet @ the Lit & Phil - March 20

© Patti
Gerry Richardson (organ, vocals);  Garry Linsley (alto sax);  Rod Sinclair (guitar); Graeme Hare (drums).

Another Friday at the Lit and Phil and another full house sold out weeks ago. If you want a ticket for these monthly Friday concerts, you have to be quick off the mark. Today the offering was the well known and well respected Gerry Richardson leading a quartet with a mixture of soul, funk, jazz and blues.

Everyone seated, announcements made, and then wham! straight into Ben Tucker's Comin' Home Baby. A tune long associated with Herbie Mann and Mel Tormé, this blues classic set the scene for things to come, no prisoners were to be taken, just hold onto your hats and enjoy the ride. There were blistering solos aplenty  from Gerry, Rod Sinclair and Garry Linsley.  Graeme Hare, sitting in for  regular drummer Paul Smith (on tour with Lindisfarne) looked very comfortable behind his kit and was obviously enjoying himself, no more so than when he led the band into African Sunset, a Richardson original.

There were other Richardson originals such as All About McGriff (a homage to Jimmy McGriff's All About My Girl) and some  standards like Joe Zawinul's Mercy, Mercy, MercyWitherspoon's Money’s Getting CheaperMose Allison's Everybody's Cryin' Mercy  and Soul Shadows by Joe Sample.  All in all a well put together set which was both entertaining and showed how good this band are.  Gerry Richardson can not only play a mean organ but has the voice to match and when he toned it down with Bobby Hebbs’ Sunny, you could hear the proverbial pin drop. Sylvia

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