They stepped out of a dream

Last night as I lay a-sleeping, a soporific fantasy imagined a band made up of some musicians who'd impressed me at live gigs during 2026. But, like with most dreams, come dawn's early light I was awake and the dream was gone.

However, although the dream was gone the idea wasn't so, thinking over the gigs I'd attended, I came up with the following line-up: Mejedi Owusu (trumpet); Lewis Watson, (tenor sax), Mikey Owers (trombone); Andrjez Baranek (piano); Andre Di Biase (bass); Bill Bruford (drums).

Of course tonight's dream maybe totally different and, if I'm lucky, might feature Meryl Streep in The Bridges of Tyne & Wear County - dream on... Lance

Photos

Lewis Watson © John Lyons.

Mejedi Owusu, Andre Di Biase © Pam

Mikey Owers, Bill Bruford © Sylvia

Andrjez Baranek © Patti

Preview: Black is the Color of my Voice @ Northern Sage (tonight & tomorrow)

Tonight is the first of two performances (Oct. 6 & 7) of Apphia Campbell's highly acclaimed, award winning Black is the Color of my Voice inspired by the life and times of pianist, singer and Civil Rights Movement activist Nina Simone.

BSH has reviewed the one-woman show on previous occasions at the Customs House in South Shields (see links below) and I highly recommend  catching either/both of the shows at Northern Stage. Lance

Customs House 2016

Customs House 2022

TICKETS/INFO.

Frank Griffith with the Andrzej Baranek Trio @ Huddersfield Irish Centre - October 4

Frank Griffith (tenor sax, clarinet); Andrzej Baranek (keyboards); Ben Crosland (bass); Dave 'Rocky' Tyas (drums)

Huddersfield Jazz has been presenting jazz for something like four decades and there's nothing quite like the prospect of an American guest to whet the appetite. A friend and occasional contributor to BSH, Frank Griffith arrived at Huddersfield Irish Centre with a top flight trio in tow - pianist Andrzej Baranek, bassist Ben Crosland and drummer Dave Tyas. 

Frank Griffith boasts a 'been there, done that' cv. Fifteen years working in New York (Ron Carter, Jon Hendricks, Jack McDuff), stints with Toshiko Akiyoshi, Mel Lewis, Buddy Rich (as one does), for many years the American tenor saxophonist has made the UK his home. 

Press release: Northern jazz artists are invited to apply for Jazz North’s live touring support programme, Northern Line

The selected cohort will receive an 18 month programme of 1:1 mentoring, a showcase at manchester jazz festival 2027 and a bursary to support their live touring costs.

Northern Line is now open for applications until 12 noon on Monday 2nd November 2026 

Jazz North, a development agency for northern jazz, has been boosting artists’ careers since its inception in 2012. Northern Line is the flagship development programme that takes artists' live touring careers to the next level. 

The programme, which has supported ninety five bands and hundreds of musicians since it launched in 2013, is seeking the next five artists to join its thriving roster of live touring artists. 

Northern Line ensures gigs can happen, despite the ever changing landscape. 

Late Night Chicago Radio with Denny Farrell (Oct. 1 - Oct. 7)

Kenny Burrell: Last Night When we Were Young. 

Diana Krall: All or Nothing at All.

McCoy Tyner Trio: That Old Devil Moon.

Modern Jazz Quartet: Django.

Tony Bennett: The Shadow of Your Smile.

Rosemary Clooney: Tenderly.

Lester Young: Our Love is Here to Stay.

André Previn: But Not For me.

Cassandra Wilson: The Very Thought of You.

Tom Rigby: Back Porch Blues.

Billy Eckstine: Blue Moon.

LISTEN 24/7.

Neil Yates’ Trumpet Fatty Jazz Band @ Llandudno Jazz Club - September 28

© Richard Morris

Neil Yates (trumpet and vocals); Liam Byrne  (saxophones); Andrew MacKenzie  (trombone and vocals); Andy MacKenzie  (guitar and banjo)

Billed as trad jazz, the audience were treated to many of the songs and tunes from the New Orleans and Dixieland canon. It has been too long since I last came to the trad jazz evening at Llandudno Jazz Club. 

All four musicians are regulars on the north-west jazz circuit and all are band leaders in their own right.

Neil, who has been the curator of jazz at this venue every Monday evening for the past few years and is one of the UK’s top trumpeters, was celebrating his 56th birthday. Liam had brought three saxophones to the gig: a Selmer tenor, Conn soprano and the rarely sighted Conn bass. The bass sax is a monster which, due to its weight, Liam played on a stand. He effortlessly switched between the three often playing two on the same tune. This provided huge variety in the concert and was something of a virtuoso performance by Liam which I count as being fortunate to witness.

Adrian Cox Quartet @ Henley Jazz Festival - September 26

© Richard Morris

Adrian Cox (clarinet); Harry Evans (double bass); Honey Boulton (guitar); Enrico Tomasso (trumpet)

This concert took place on a paddle steamer cruising up and down the River Thames on the aptly named “The New Orleans”  departing from Henley at 3.00pm on the most glorious autumn day with temperatures in the mid 20s. The boat was provided by Hobbs of Henley who have 150 years experience of offering boat hire and public/private cruising on the Thames.

The musicians involved need little introduction although I had not seen Harry Evans live before. Adrian is simply one of the world’s best jazz clarinet players. Enrico Tomasso is a renowned jazz trumpet, flugelhorn and cornet player. He is widely celebrated as one of the UK’s premier brass players and has won awards as best trumpeter multiple times.

Joe Webb Trio @ Purdy’s Pop Up, HAODS Studio, Henley-on-Thames -September 25

© Richard Morris

Joe Webb (piano); Will Sach (double bass);  Kai MacRae (drums)

Purdy’s Pop Up, a live music and jazz club founded and hosted by Rebecca Poole (Purdy) and Danny Ilett, opened the first jazz festival in Henley with the Joe Webb Trio performing concurrently with a concert given by Clare Teal at the Kenton Theatre.

The trio’s usual drummer Sam Jesson was on family duties so the very talented Kai MacRae stepped in. He had joined the band on a recent tour which included China and Asia. Kai leads his own band and I have seen him play multiple times. A big talent.

The Stray Horns @ Davenham Players Theatre - September 24

© Richard Morris

Jamie Brownfield (trumpet); Antony Stevens (sousa);  Andrzej Baranek (piano); Mike Smith (alto sax); Gaz Hughes (drums)

A ticket at short notice took me to Davenham Players' Theatre - an intimate, very well run, establishment which provides jazz monthly save for the holiday months of July and August. Not my first visit here and as usual a friendly welcome was received. The Stray Horns are described as Shropshire’s top roaming party band, offering infectious fun and top quality music that's perfect for a wide range of functions covering a variety of genres including a whole lot of jazz.

Jazz Time Aycliffe Radio - Sundays 6.30-8.00pm (repeated Tuesdays 8.00-9.30pm).

https://www.ayclifferadio.co.uk/listen. 

Playlist 04/10/26 (repeated Tuesday 06/10/26)

Seasonal: Kenny Barron.

Requests from Durham Gala: Aretha Franklin, Wes Montgomery, Sonny Stitt, Artie Shaw.

Memories: Buddy Rich Big Band, Oscar Pettiford.

Durham Jazz Festival: Dean Stockdale, Joe Harrop/Jamie McCredie, Knats, Marvin Muoneké, Strictly Smokin' Big Band.

What’s on in the NE: Nina Simone.

Requests: Woody Herman Big Band.

Seasonal: Anita Wardell, Ron Carter reinventing Autumn Leaves!