Midnite Follies Orchestra @ Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club - May 2

Alan Barnes, Richard Exall, Michael McQuaid (reeds); Mike Henry, Pete Rudeforth, Rico Tomasso (trumpets); Alistair Allan (trombone, vocals); Gordon Campbell (trombone); Dean Stockdale (piano); Tom 'Spats' Langham (banjo, guitar, vocals); Malcolm Sked (string bass, sousaphone); Richard Pite (drums)

The late Keith Nichols' legacy lives on. A couple of years ago, trombonist Alistair Allan set about reviving the Midnite Follies Orchestra. Putting together an ace line-up, the twelve piece ensemble can be heard on occasion, whether in London (recently at the Spice of Life) or here in the 'far north', ie Darlington. 

This afternoon's Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club promotion attracted a large turnout, little wonder considering the calibre of musician on show. Essentially an Ellington programme, to the strains of C Jam Blues, one by one, members of the ensemble strolled onto the stage. Their ever-increasing number upped the decibel count, we were in the Cotton Club, Harlem, NYC. From here on in, the Midnite Follies could do no wrong.

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

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

Playlist 03/05/26 (repeated Tuesday 05/05/26)

Seasonal: Dulcie May.

Requests: Dave Brubeck, Benny Golson, Walter Smith III.

Memories: Alan Skidmore.

Requests: Jean Goldkette & His Orchestra, Eddie Condon and His All Stars. MJQ + Wynton Marsalis, Oscar Peterson.

Tony Eales' Best of British Big Bands: Guy Barker.

Requests: Mal Waldron, Tina May.

Aycliffe Radio is now available on DAB in County Durham & the Darlington area or via your smart speaker.    

Vintage jazz on vintage TV

Watching an old episode of The Cheaters on Talking Pictures - a grainy TV series from the early 1960s starring John Ireland - I was impressed by the soundtrack which captured the essence of what was happening on screen - rather like the pianist's back in the day when pictures were silent.

I had to wait until the credits rolled before I discovered that it was no less a musician than Bill le Sage!

Apparently Bill, seen here with a recreated Dankworth Seven, provided the soundtracks for all 29 episodes. The only other musician mentioned by IMDB is Ronnie Ross.

Jazz is out there, you just have to look for it between the ads for 'Pure Cremation' and 'Sun Life Insurance'. Lance

More Duke Junction @ the Globe

© Ken Drew

Further to Sylvia's review of Duke Junction's contribution to the Globe's celebration of International Jazz Day at the Jazz Co-op's HQ on the corner of Railway & Plummer (I know it doesn't sound as hip as '12th Street & Vine' but what the heck...?) Ken Drew sent me some additional photos.

Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms - May 1

Maureen Hall (vocals); Herbie Hudson (harmonica, vocals); Gordon Solomon (trombone); Alan Law (keyboards); John Robinson (bass guitar); Scotty Adair (drums, vocals)

May Day. Monkseaton. Blue skies. Warm sunshine. A bustling Front Street with its small, independent retailers, cafes, micro pubs (three of 'em), not one, but two chippies, how many out on the street knew that a weekly jazz gig was about to begin on their doorstep? 

International Jazz Day @ the Globe: Duke Junction - April 30

© Sylvia T

Nadim Teimoori (tenor saxophone);  Jeff Hewer (guitar);  Martin Longhawn (Organ);   Steve Hanley (drums) + Richard Hall (guest tenor saxophone on two numbers).

There were several reasons to celebrate at the Globe on  April 30. The first was that it was International Jazz Day. The second reason was that it was the Globe’s 12th birthday as a community run music venue and the third was that Duke Junction were appearing.  Little wonder then that by 7.30pm the house was filling up  and tables and chairs were being brought in to fill any vacant corner.

© Russell

Duke Junction bill themselves as being inspired by, amongst others, Art Pepper, Thelonious Monk, and Duke Ellington (from where they took their name), and although  there was only one Ellington number in the set, it was the beautiful Prelude to a Kiss with a lovely guitar intro by Mr Hewer.  However,  there were a couple by Billy Strayhorn, Ellington’s long time collaborator. The others included tunes by Jack McDuff, Booker Little, and Grant Green who’s Jean de Fleur Mr Hanley took round the block and back again! There was also an intriguing original entitled  Anemonia by Nadim Teimoori which, apparently means nostalgia for things that never existed.

Buxton International Festival 2026 - Jazz

Thanks to some astute programming by the recently appointed Jazz Director for Buxton International Festival, Wesley Stephenson, the jazz content of this year's festival looks particularly appetising.

Tyneside based Wes, a director of Jazz North East and organiser of the Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music has put together 19 concerts featuring many top jazz acts both national and international.

Details of the various concerts taking place at the festival - which runs from July 9 - 26 with an emphasis on the 'Jazz Weekender' (July 9 - 12) - can be found HERE. Lance

Single review: Freddie Benedict - Colours (self)

Freddie Benedict (vocal); Chris Bland (piano); Kieran Gunter (guitar); Luke Fowler (bass); Floyer Sydenham (drums)

There’s something about a debut that tells you whether it’s going to be a moment… or just another tune that drifts past. Colours doesn’t drift. It moves. It shifts. It finds its shape as it goes - never settling in one place for too long.

This isn’t a tentative first step. It carries a kind of natural assurance, the sort that comes from understanding how to let a song unfold rather than trying to pin it down. Nothing forced, nothing overplayed. Just a line set in motion, and the confidence to follow where it leads.

 

Tickets now on sale for Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival

 

PROGRAMME, MORE INFO, TICKETS.

Arts education needs your voice

I am forwarding an email from Campaign for the Arts regarding a consultation on arts and music education in schools. Please complete the consultation. Campaign for the Arts have prepared templates with answers and it does not take long to complete. There is a deadline and it is May 4th. Chris Hodgkins

Back in November, after years of campaigning, we got some good news: the Government pledged to scrap the EBacc and reform Progress 8 – two measures that have contributed to the decline of arts subjects in England's secondary schools.

But scrapping unhelpful measures isn't enough. If we don't shape what replaces them, the arts could continue to be squeezed out of our schools for another generation.

The Government is consulting on reforms to Progress 8 right now, and we've heard that in this consultation, numbers matter.

Please make sure your voice is counted, so that the arts count in the government's final plans. Respond to the Government's consultation before the 4 May deadline – we've made a step-by-step guide to help you do it easily and effectively in just 15 minutes.

Submit your response →