Blog

SUNDAY 23RD OCTOBER 2022 HOOCHIE COOCHIE This was, to quote from Larry Hart's lyric in Thou Swell, "a sweet lollapalooza" or as Cole...

The region's greatest big band - Strictly Smokin' Big Band - are celebrating 20 years in the biz with an extra special gig at Hoochie Coochi

I said it began with a BANG and I wasn't just referring to the power of the brass on Buddy's Big Swing Face! I was bemused as I tried to...

SATURDAY 18th JUNE 2022 A new venue for the SSBB in this, the band's twentieth anniversary year.* The word 'industrial' springs to mind...

SATURDAY 26TH FEBRUARY 2022 HALL 2, SAGE GATESGEAD I'd heard Pete Long's Ellington/Strayhorn inspired suite based around Gustav Holst's...

Friday 13th August Newcastle Jazz Festival at Newcastle Civic Centre This promised much and delivered even more! Alice Grace singing Ella...

At the risk of coming across all Whiplash, there’s going to be an awful lot of Buddy Rich here. While there is a universe of other...

Dave Kerridge plays second tenor in Strictly Smokin' - here are his all time top 10 big band recordings. Art Blakey "Night in Tunisia"...

There have been two main modes of musicians getting their playing 'out there' during 2020/ 2021... either live stream, or create these...

Once upon a time, the 'jazz blog' was a niche corner of the internet for enthusiasts documenting the gigs they'd attended. Now, they're...

To anyone growing up in the US in the 1970s, ‘Home to Emily’ will probably be a familiar tune. It was the theme song to the Bob Newhart...

I'm not particularly prone to to writing articles - in fact, since this new section of our web site was started this is the first actual...

Saturday 20th April 2020 Gosforth Civic Theatre This was quite an occasion, indeed a unique one, not to mention a historic one! A Great...

FRIDAY 13TH (!) MARCH I’d maybe have been to The Odeon and heard Duke or Basie, the City Hall where I heard just about everybody else or,...

SATURDAY 29TH FEBRUARY 2020 HALL 2, SAGE GATESHEAD Some cats can some cats can’t. Mike Lovatt can! Mike Lovatt can do what? Mike Lovatt...

SUNDAY 20TH OCTOBER 2019 HOOCHIE COOCHIE I’ve stopped using plaudits like ‘Gig of the Month’, ‘Gig of the Year’ etc. There are just too...

SATURDAY 17TH AUGUST 2019 NEWCASTLE JAZZ FESTIVAL TYNE BANK BREWERY Special mention also to the heroes of the hour. Michael Lamb and...

Sunday 23rd June 2019 Hoochie Coochie Never has the phrase 'hit the deck running' been more apt than at Hoochiee last night! SSBB did...

Saturday 23rd February 2019 Hall 2, Sage Gateshead Michael Lamb and the SSBB think big when they book a guest artist. Over the last few...

Sunday 16th September 2018 Hoochie Coochie When Hoochie's head honcho Warren says that Polly Gibbons is in the top ten acts he's heard...