Bebop Spoken There

Christian McBride: ''I believe we are living in a historically embarrassing moment in American history.'' - Downbeat December 2025

The Things They Say!

This is a good opportunity to say thanks to BSH for their support of the jazz scene in the North East (and beyond) - it's no exaggeration to say that if it wasn't for them many, many fine musicians, bands and projects across a huge cross section of jazz wouldn't be getting reviewed at all, because we're in the "desolate"(!) North. (M & SSBB on F/book 23/12/24)

Postage

18061 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 1025 of them this year alone and, so far, 39 this month (Dec. 14).

From This Moment On ...

DECEMBER 2025

Mon 15: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 16: Paul Skerritt @ Chakh Dhoom, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Indian restaurant. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Tue 16: A Jazzy Xmas @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm. Paul Edis (MD, piano); Jo Harrop (vocals); Kyran Matthews (tenor sax, soprano sax); Faye Thompson (alto sax, clarinet); Sue Ferris (flute, piccolo); Graham Hardy (trumpet, flugelhorn); Jason Holcomb (trombone);Emma Fisk (violin); Andy Champion (double bass); Matt MacKellar (drums).
Tue 16: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, Tim Johnston.

Wed 17: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Spanish City, Whitley Bay. 12 noon. £29.00 (inc. bf). ‘Festive Lunch’. VCJ on stage 12 noon (three sets 'til 4:00pm).
Wed 17: Lazy River Band @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. Veronica Perrin, Chris Perrin, John Farragher, Phil Rutherford
Wed 17: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 17: Paul Skerritt @ Middlesbrough Town Hall. 7:00pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Wed 17: A Jazzy Xmas @ Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm. Paul Edis (MD, piano); Jo Harrop (vocals); Kyran Matthews (tenor sax, soprano sax); Faye Thompson (alto sax, clarinet); Sue Ferris (flute, piccolo); Graham Hardy (trumpet, flugelhorn); Jason Holcomb (trombone);Emma Fisk (violin); Andy Champion (double bass); Matt MacKellar (drums).
Wed 17: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 18: Paul Skerritt @ YOLO, Ponteland. 7:00pm. ‘Swing & Jazz Night’. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Thu 18: Joe Steels & Friends @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:30pm. Free (donations).

Fri 19: Fraser Urquhart @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT! .
Fri 19: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free..
Fri 19: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free..
Fri 19: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00..
Fri 19: Castillo Nuevo @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:00pm. Free. .
Fri 19: Alexia Gardner @ FIKA Art Gallery, Morpeth. 6:30pm. Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy..
Fri 19: Paul Skerritt @ Middlesbrough Town Hall. 7:00pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes. .
Fri 19: Giles Strong Quartet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club..
Fri 19: Creakin’ Bones & the Xmas Dinners @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £13.01 (inc. bf)..
Fri 19: Mark Toomey Quintet @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.

Sat 20: Jazz Attack @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 11:00am. Free.
Sat 20: Alexia Gardner @ FIKA Art Gallery, Morpeth. 6:30pm. Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy. SOLD OUT!
Sat 20: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. CANCELLED!
Sat 20: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 20: Hoodoo Blues @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:15pm (doors). £14.25, £11.55. Dance class, social dancing, live music & Xmas Party. Live music from 9:00pm - Ruth Lambert, Giles Strong, Ian Paterson & John Bradford (jazz and blues).
Sat 20: John Pope Quintet @ Blank Studios, Newcastle. 7:30-8:30pm. £7.70 (inc. bf). Album recording session.

Sun 21: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackosn’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. ‘Xmas Swingalong’. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 21: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00-5:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ o2 City Hall, Newcastle. 6:00pm. £35.80., £33.25., £31.00.
Sun 21: The Globe Xmas Party @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Live music.
Sun 21: Tweed River Jazz Band @ The Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:30pm. Free.

Reviewers wanted

Whilst BSH attempts to cover as many gigs, festivals and albums as possible, to make the site even more comprehensive we need more 'boots on the ground' to cover the albums seeking review - a large percentage of which never get heard - report on gigs or just to air your views on anything jazz related. Interested? then please get in touch. Contact details are on the blog. Look forward to hearing from you. Lance

Sunday, January 04, 2009

2009 Obituaries

Rusty Dedrick: Veteran trumpet player, arranger, educator. 25 Dec 2009. Pete King: Co-founder of Ronnie Scott's. 20 Dec. 2009. Yvonne King Burch: Member of vocal group the King Sisters. 13 Dec. 2009. Sonny Bradshaw: Jamaican trumpet player. 14 Dec. 2009. Darren Grainger: Sax player, local. 2 Dec. 2009. Chris Yates: Jazz writer and promoter (Jazz North East). 28 November 2009. Pia Beck: Dutch pianist/singer. 26 November 2009. Jeff Clyne: British bassist. 16 November 2009. Dick Katz: Jazz pianist (Benny Carter, J & K, Eldridge etc.) 10 November 2009 Malcolm Laycock: BBC jazz/big band DJ. 8 November 2009. Art D'Lugoff: Jazz club owner. 4 November 2009. Stacy Rowles: Trumpet/flugel horn player. 27 October 2009. Clinton Ford:Singer/entertainer. 21 October, 2009. Sirone: Legendary free jazz bassist. 21 October, 2009. Al Martino: American singer. 13 October, 2009 Ted Williams: Jazz photographer. 13 October 2009. Sonny Bradshaw: Jamaican multi-instrumentalist and musical ambassador. 10 October 2009. Joe Maneri: Experimental composer amd saxophonist. 31 August. Marie Knight: Gospel singer. 30 August, 2009. Chris Connor: Beautiful vocalist - class. 29 August 2009. Ernest Brown: Cotton Club dancer, vaudeville hoofer. 21 August 2009. Lawrence Lucie: Rhythm guitarist (Carter, Ellington, Armstrong, Holiday et al.) Died aged 101. 14 August 2009. Les Paul: Guitarist and Inventor (understatement!). 13 August 2009. Jackie Tracey: Wife of pianist, composer, Stan Tracey. 13 August 2009. Rashied Ali: Free jazz drummer. 12 August 2009. George Russell: Influential composer and arranger. 27 July 2009. Jim Chapin: Drummer, drum teacher. 4 July 2009. Dickie Hawdon: British trumpet player, Dankworth etc. Eddie Preston: Ex Hampton, Mingus, Ellington trumpet player. 22 June 2009. Steve Race: Pianist, critic, broadcaster, writer. 22 June 2009. Charlie Mariano: Great alto player. 16 June 2009. Huey Long: Guitarist with The Inkspots. 10 June 2009 Jack Nimitz: West coast baritone player. 10 June 2009. Hugh Hopper: Bassist with Soft Machine. 7 June 2009 Sam Butera: Honking tenor man. 3 june, 2009. Koko Taylor: "The Queen of the Blues". 3 June 2009. Carol 'Cookie' Cole: Sister of Natalie Cole. 22 May 2009. Buddy Montgomery: pianist/vibist brother of Wes. 15 May 2009 Zeke Zarchy: Big band Trumpet player. 12 April 2009. Johnny Roadhouse: Manchester based alto player, music shop owner, ex NDO. 11 April 2009. Charlie Kennedy: Gene Krupa alto sax. 3 April 2009. Bud Shank: West Coast Alto sax & fluteplayer. 2 April 2009. Mel Brown: blues guitarist. 19 March 2009 Jack Lawrence: Composer, lyricist (Tenderly). 18 March 2009. Eddie Bo: Bluesman. 18 March 2009 Lars Erstrand: Swedish vibes player. Recorded with Rebecca Kilgore. 11 March 2009. Willie King: Bluesman. 8 March 2009. John Cephas: Piedmont blues guitarist. 4 March 2009. Ian Carr: Trumpet player, composer, Emcee Five, Don Rendell, Nucleus ... 25 Feb. 2009 Fats Sadi: Belgium Vibes player. Clarke-Boland. 20 Feb 2009. Snooks Eaglin: Blues Guitarist. 18 Feb 2009 Louis Bellson: World's Greatest Drummer? 14 Feb. 2009 Coleman Merrett: Guitarist killed Buffalo Air Crash 12 Feb 2009. Gerry Niewood: Sax player killed Buffalo Air Crash 12 Feb 2009 Mat Mathews: Dutch jazz accordionist 12 Feb 2009 Vic Lewis: Guitarist, Big Band leader. 9 Feb. 2009 Blossom Dearie: Legendary singer 7 Feb 2009 Hank Crawford: Super Soul Saxman 29 Jan 2009 Leonard Gaskin: Bass player 24 Jan 2009 Janet Cook: Editor Jazz Journal International 23 Jan 2009 David "Fathead" Newman: Super Soul Saxman 20 Jan 2009 Whitey Mitchell: Bassist and writer 16 Jan 2009 Leroy Cooper: Bari sax with Ray Charles 15 Jan 2009

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