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'Ella & Ellington' Preview at Sunderland Fire station
Ella & Ellington, Strictly Smokin', full house. It's becoming a common occurrence, Strictly Smokin' Big Band playing to capacity audiences.
Bebop Spoken Here
Aug 4, 20232 min read
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Harlem '58 - Queen's Hall, Hexham
As the house lights dimmed, the near full house heard the strains of Avenue C. The recorded music gave way to the SSBB's rhythm section seam
Bebop Spoken Here
May 21, 20232 min read
166 views
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MATT FORD with Strictly Smokin' Big Band
FRIDAY 23rd FEBRUARY 2023 HALL 2, SAGE GATESGEAD It doesn't get much better than this. Top singer (actually two top singers) and a big...
Bebop Spoken Here
Feb 27, 20232 min read
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Hoochie Coochie Christmas
Friday 23rd December 2022 HOOCHIE COOCHIE The band moved, the dancers moved and one of the non-dancers was moved to remark that he...
Bebop Spoken Here
Dec 23, 20222 min read
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Christmas at GCT 2022
Friday 16th & Saturday 17th December 2022 GOSFORTH CIVIC THEATRE If it's the week before Christmas there's is only one place to be and...
Bebop Spoken Here
Dec 16, 20222 min read
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DAVE O'HIGGINS celebrating 20 YEARS of Strictly Smokin' Big Band
SUNDAY 23RD OCTOBER 2022 HOOCHIE COOCHIE This was, to quote from Larry Hart's lyric in Thou Swell, "a sweet lollapalooza" or as Cole...
Bebop Spoken Here
Oct 23, 20222 min read
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Newcastle Jazz Festival 2022
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...
Bebop Spoken Here
Aug 18, 20221 min read
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Cobalt Studios
SATURDAY 18th JUNE 2022 A new venue for the SSBB in this, the band's twentieth anniversary year.* The word 'industrial' springs to mind...
Bebop Spoken Here
Jun 18, 20222 min read
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PETE LONG with Strictly Smokin' Big Band
SATURDAY 26TH FEBRUARY 2022 HALL 2, SAGE GATESGEAD I'd heard Pete Long's Ellington/Strayhorn inspired suite based around Gustav Holst's...
Bebop Spoken Here
Feb 26, 20222 min read
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SSBB at Newcastle Jazz Festival 2021
Friday 13th August Newcastle Jazz Festival at Newcastle Civic Centre This promised much and delivered even more! Alice Grace singing Ella...
Bebop Spoken Here
Aug 13, 20212 min read
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Premiere: Great Day In Harlem (Harlem '58)
Saturday 20th April 2020 Gosforth Civic Theatre This was quite an occasion, indeed a unique one, not to mention a historic one! A Great...
Bebop Spoken Here
Apr 19, 20202 min read
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Flat Caps Coffee
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,...
Bebop Spoken Here
Mar 13, 20203 min read
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MIKE LOVATT with Strictly Smokin' Big Band
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...
Bebop Spoken Here
Feb 29, 20202 min read
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CLAIRE MARTIN OBE with Strictly Smokin' Big Band
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...
Bebop Spoken Here
Oct 20, 20192 min read
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MARK NIGHTINGALE with Strictly Smokin' Big Band
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...
Bebop Spoken Here
Feb 23, 20194 min read
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POLLY GIBBONS with Strictly Smokin' Big Band
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...
Bebop Spoken Here
Sep 16, 20182 min read
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ALAN BARNES with Strictly Smokin' Big Band
Saturday 26th August 2018 Ushaw Jazz Festival It wouldn't be Ushaw without Punch (A.K.A Alan Barnes). The much-travelled sax/clarinet ace...
Bebop Spoken Here
Aug 26, 20182 min read
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PUAL BOOTH with Strictly Smokin' Big Band
Saturday 18th February 2018 Alphabetti Theatre The Alphabetti Theatre was sardine-can full - standing room only. They couldn't have had a...
Bebop Spoken Here
Feb 17, 20184 min read
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JOE STILGOE with Strictly Smokin' Big Band
Sunday 15h October 2017 Hoochie Coochie The Strictly Smokin’ Big Band at Hoochie Coochie is a guarantee of top quality entertainment. Add...
Bebop Spoken Here
Oct 15, 20174 min read
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BRUCE ADAMS with Strictly Smokin' Big Band
Saturday 18th September 2017 The Globe | Jazz.Coop This was a near-perfect Jazz Coop gig. How could it not be with the UK's number one...
Bebop Spoken Here
Sep 16, 20172 min read
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