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

18602 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 466 of them this year alone and, so far this month (June 8) 17

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

Sat 13: Ladies of Midnight Blue + Northern Monkey Brass Band @ Northumberland Miners’ Picnic, Woodhorn Museum, Ashington NE63 9YF. Free. From 10:00am. Ladies of Midnight Blue (3:00-3:45pm); Northern Monkey Brass Band (4:00-4:45pm).
Sat 13: Sarah Spencer’s Transatlantic Jazz Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 13: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Saltburn Bandstand. 2:30-4:30pm. Free.
Sat 13: Courtney Pine @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £35.80. Pine (saxophones); Robert Mitchell (piano); Rio Kai (double bass); Romarna Campbell (drums). ‘A Modern-Day Jazz Story 1986 - 2026’.

Sun 14: Front Porch Band: Swing Tyne’s Swing Social @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12 noon (doors). Donations (£5.00. - £10.00. suggested). Swing dance event w. taster class (12:30pm).
Sun 14: 58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00-3:00pm. Free.
Sun 14: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 14: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 14: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 14: Doctor Jazz @ The Old Church, Sacriston, Durham. 3:00-5:00pm . Free (donations welcome). New Orleans, blues & classic 20th century songs. Food & soft drinks available, BYOB.
Sun 14: Eddie Gripper Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Gripper (piano); Clem Saynor (double bass); Patrick Barrett-Donlon (drums). Americana album tour.

Mon 15: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 15: Dan Johnson w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 16: Alan Law Trio @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free.
Tue 16: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 17: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 17: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 17: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

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: 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.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Susannah McCorkle

Yesterday, May 19, marked the 8th anniversary of the death of Susannah McCorkle, one of my favourite singers. A manic depressive, Susannah killed herself by jumping from a window in New York.
She was 55.
Susannah McCorkle had a unique voice that first came to my attention when I, literally, stumbled over an LP of hers in a Drury Lane charity shop. The record was an album entitled "The Quality of Mercer" that, after picking myself up, I bought for 50p. It was the first of many LPs and CDs that I amassed and cherished. Recorded in London, in 1977, with a band that included Danny Moss, Digby and her partner to be (briefly) Keith Ingham she interprets the Johnny Mercer songs as good as anyone ever did. Check out her almost laconic rendition of "This Time The Dream's On Me" and other Susannah gems on YouTube. Here there is a frustrating interview with vocal snippets. I say frustrating because the actual interview is excellent giving an insight into her musical awareness but the music itself suffers from abysmal recording. Never mind it is worth it for the, I believe, only known interview. I have a vague recollection that Susannah did some gigs in Newcastle during the 1970s at, possibly, "Change Is" or maybe even the New Orleans Club. Anyone able to confirm this?
Lance.
PS: My Ideal is just that! She'd be So Easy To Love.
at

6 comments :

Russell said...

Hi Lance

A few years ago the Vermont Hotel ran a short - lived series of jazz cabaret evenings. Annie Ross appeared, as did, I think, Elaine Delmar. One or two others performed over the weeks. I wonder was Susannah McCorkle one of them ? The local backing was from the likes of Billy Harper and possibly Syd Warren.

Russell

Wednesday, May 20, 2009 4:29:00 pm
Lance said...

At the time I'm thinking of - early/mid 70s I don't think the Vermont had been built.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009 4:45:00 pm
Roly said...

Agreed she had a very warm, sincere vocal style. I have that Mercer tribute album - it's excellent. I remember her being very popular around that time, getting very established in the UK as well as internationally. A bit like Rebecca Kilgore now I think. Can't recall any local gigs though. Very sad, her demise.
Roly

Wednesday, May 20, 2009 6:57:00 pm
Liz said...

What a truly lovely natural voice she had, I had never heard of her until Lance made me aware some time ago.
How tragic that her life was so tormented & short.
Liz

Thursday, May 21, 2009 8:43:00 am
Hil said...

oh! how wonderful...

Off now to buy a cd for a certain young ladies forthcoming birthday.
Dont tell her tho, coz its a birthday secret...;o)

Hil x

Friday, May 22, 2009 10:36:00 am
Lance said...

Reading Chris Yates'new book - "Blue Horizons" he mentions a concert by Dick Sudhalter that had Susannah on vocals. I wonder if this was the gig I attended at the Peoples Theatre? If so I heard one of my favourite singers and didn't realise it!
Hang your head in shame Lance.

Wednesday, September 23, 2009 11:30:00 am

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