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

18799 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 663 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 12) 32.

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

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.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 20: Edson Angus Quartet @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 20: 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 21: Andrzej Baranek Trio @ The Lit & Phil. 1:00pm. £8.00. Andrzej Baranek (piano); Josh Cavanagh-Brierley (double bass); Dave Walsh (drums). SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: David Gray Flextet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.
Fri 21: Errol Linton & His Band + Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. Excellent blues double bill.

Tuesday, May 19, 2026

Album review: Terry Waldo & the Gotham City Band - Treasury Volume 3 (Turtle Bay Records)

Terry Waldo (piano,vocals); Mike Davis (trumpet, vocals); Colin Hancock (trumpet); Jim Fryer (trombone, vocals); Evan Arntzen, Ricky Alexander (clarinet); Jerron Paxton (guitar, banjo, vocals) Nick Russo, Arnt Arntzen (banjo); Brian Nalepka (bass); Jay Lepley (drums, vocals).

Treasury Volume 3 is pianist, historian Waldo's third* and final exploration of early jazz and ragtime and, like the previous two, features the best of Gotham City's hot musicians working in and around NYC.

It's a stomping, strutting, shimmying Dixieland clambake that's a potent mix of Chicago, New Orleans, Frisco and Whitley Bay. Yes, Whitley Bay deserves a mention as Fryer, Davis and Hancock are not unknown at the Classic Jazz Party (see right hand column) and it was only last week that Paxton was just up the road at Gosforth Civic Theatre.

As well as their chosen instruments, Waldo, Fryer, Lepley and Davis have vocals and there's a kazoo in there too although I don't know who the perpetrator is.

It's what used to be called Good Time Jazz which is still a pretty good description. It doesn't open any locked doors or pursue new horizons - or does it? Perhaps it may introduce a form of jazz to an audience who think it all began with Miles at Glastonbury.

A word of warning - if you buy Volume 3 you won't be able to stop yourself blowing the housekeeping on Volumes 1 & 2. Lance

Minnie the Mermaid: Canal Street Blues; Alice Blue Gown; Take Me Back; Frog-I-More Rag; Mabel's Dream; Kansas City Stomp; Louisiana Fairy Tale; Buddy's Habits; Memphis Blues; Black Bottom Stomp

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