Ian Shaw – Stephensong: Sondheim in the Jazz Room. Upstairs at Ronnie Scott’s - March 10

Ian Shaw (vocals); Barry Green (piano)

The evening begins with a dedication.

Shaw dedicates the performance to the late Haydn Gwynne, the much-loved stage actress whose ability to inhabit a lyric with dramatic clarity made her a natural interpreter of theatre music — and whose spirit feels entirely at home in a night devoted to the songs of Stephen Sondheim.

Then Shaw launches straight into the opening number.

“Everybody says don’t,
Everybody says can’t,
Everybody says wait around for miracles —
That’s the way the world is made.”

From the opening bars you know you are in for something special.

Album review: Louise Alexandra - Crazy World of Love

Louise Alexandra (vocals); Rob van Bavel (piano, arranger); Franz van Geest (bass); Vincent Koning (guitar); Marcel Serierse (drums); Jan Menu (tenor/baritone sax) + Benny Benack III (flugelhorn tk 7)

Louise Alexandra, a Dutch-American jazz singer and songwriter is also a cancer research scientist. She is held in high regard for work in cancer research and on the strength of this, her third album, equally so as a musical artist. All thirteen tracks were a joy to listen to.

Too Late Now: Tenor and piano solos, a wordless riff in unison with band. Voice has an appealing vulnerability about it.

All my Tomorrows: Piano over some busy Latinesque drumming. Meaningful interpretation of the lyric.

Castle in the Sky: An original by Alexandra. Strong words capturing the rise and fall of a love affair.

SH#RP Collective @ Jesmond Library – March 13

Karen Rann (soprano sax); Nigel Robson (trombone); Mark Squires (piano); Dave Parker (double bass); Michael Howard (drums)

It was the second Friday of March; time for the monthly lunchtime gig at Jesmond Library, organised by John Rowland.  And there was a very good turnout to hear an enjoyable hour of modern jazz, performed by the SH#RP Collective.

For this gig, the band – who often operate as a quartet – were joined by Nigel Robson on trombone.  Even with this extended line-up, the strong interplay between the musicians was clear from the start.  Among the highlights were the fresh and engaging tunes written by pianist Mark Squires, who explained that he had drawn on topics such as long walks and the pandemic for his compositions. There was also the opportunity to hear some songs that are rarely performed nowadays.  I particularly enjoyed the band’s rousing interpretation of El Niño, originally featured on Michael Brecker’s album Two Blocks from the Edge.  Saxophonist Karen Rann also acknowledged Matt Anderson, who had passed on his arrangement of Bill Frisell’s Strange Meeting. Hats off to the band for keeping these excellent tunes alive!

Preview: Russ Morgan Quartet - Blaydon Jazz Club (Mon. 16)

Tomorrow night Russ Morgan returns to Blaydon Jazz Club. A decade and more ago, Russ arrived on Tyneside, first sitting in at a Jazz Cafe (Pink Lane, Newcastle) jam session. Making an instant impact, it didn't take long for Russ to become one of the region's go-to drummers. 

A couple of years ago Russ relocated to Fife, Scotland. However, from time to time, we do get to see and hear the man in action 'south of the border'. The Black Bull on Bridge Street is your next opportunity to catch up with Russ as he brings in his top flight quartet. Join Russ, Harry Keeble (tenor sax), Mark Williams (guitar) and Andy Champion (double bass) for an evening of contemporary jazz. It's an eight o'clock start and it's a bargain tenner at the door. Russell     

Photo montage © Malcolm Sinclair

R.I.P. Keith Ingham (1942 - March 12, 2026)

The sad news has filtered through of the passing of pianist Keith Ingham on March 12.

Born in Streatham on February 5, 1942, by the late 1960s/early 1970s he had become an integral part of the traditional/mainstream British jazz scene working and recording with the likes of Bruce Turner, George Melly, John Chilton and Digby Fairweather among others.

Rachel Sutton @ Pizza Express - March 10

Rachel Sutton (voice); Roland Perrin (piano); Michael Curtis Ruiz (bass); Paul Robinson (drums)

Rachel Sutton launched Realms with the kind of show that felt less like a conventional album plug and more like an invitation into her interior world. Warm, witty, theatrical and disarmingly personal, the evening unfolded as a living extension of the record itself: a set of songs joined not by rigid genre but by memory, longing, humour, resilience and imagination. Sutton did not simply perform the material; she inhabited it.

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

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

Playlist 15/03/26 (repeated Tuesday 17/03/26)

Mother’s Day: Clarence Williams & His Orchestra, Duke Ellington, Gregory Porter, Etta James, Earl Hines.

Requests: Count Basie Orchestra, Bix Beiderbecke, Benny Goodman.

Memories: Quincy Jones, Harry James, Nat King Cole, Ruby Braff.

Request: Herbie Hancock.

St. Patrick: Louis Stewart, Louis Stewart/Noel Kelehan.

Request: Matt Catingub Big Band.

What’s on in the NE: Keith Jarrett (film), Mark Toomey, Freetime Old Dixie Jassband.

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

Preview: Marion Montgomery talks to Parkinson (Saturday evening)

© Lance

Tonight on BBC Four, in a 1999 edition of Parkinson, the late, great Marion Montgomery chats to Michael Parkinson. Born in Natchez, Mississippi, Montgomery spent much of her life living and working in Britain, sharing a stage with John Dankworth, Laurie Holloway (Marion would meet and later marry Laurie), Richard Rodney Bennett and many others. Tune to Four at 10:40pm. Russell   

(Marion appeared several times in the north east. The graphic shows her in concert at Caedmon Hall, Gateshead in October 1981. She also performed at the (then) University Theatre with Barney  Kessel and Herb Ellis. I believe Andy Hudson was her manager at one time. A great singer. Lance.)

Album review: Brian Lynch - Torch Bearers (Hollistic Music Works)

Brian Lynch (trumpet, flugelhorn); Charles McPherson (alto sax); Samara Joy (tks 2 & 6); Orrin Evans (piano tks 1,2,4 & 7); Rob Schneiderman (piano tks 3,5, 7 & 8); Luis Perdomo (piano tk 6); Boris Kozlov (bass); Kyle Swan (drums all except 6); Ulysses Owens (drums tk 6)

A humdinger! Trumpet ace Brian Lynch and alto  sax legend Charles McPherson blow their socks off both instrumentally and as composers - they chalk up three compositions each including one a-piece in collaboration with Samara Joy although it has to be said that their finest solos actually come on Barry Harris' Luminescence. 

Preview: Noa Levy w. Paul Edis Trio & Alan Barnes @ The Glasshouse - April 25

Photo courtesy of The Glasshouse

Fresh. Magnificent. Bill Evans re-imagined.

The above byline says it all and the press release below confirms it, It really is going to be a rather special night. The Edis Trio and Alan Barnes are all much loved players in London and beyond, not least in the north east but Noa Levy will be a new voice to many and I'm pretty sure her unique interpretations of the music of Bill Evans will make for a memorable evening. Lance