Bebop Spoken There

Emma Rawicz: "In a couple of years I've gone from being a normal university student to suddenly being on international stages." DownBeat January 2026.

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

18219 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 73 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 24), 73

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Thu 29: The Noel Dennis Band @ Prohibition Bar, Albert Road, Middlesbrough TS1 2RU. 7:00pm (doors). £10.84. Quartet plus special guest Zoë Gilby. Over 35s only. Rescheduled from December 4th.
Thu 29: Oh No Noh + Dan Coulthurst Quintet @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £16.45., £13.28., £12.22., £9.04. Coulthurst (trumpet); Joel Steadman (bass clarinet, flute); Nico Widdowson (piano); Fergus Quill (double bass); Theo Goss (drums).

Fri 30: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 30: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 30: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 30: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 30: Pete Roth Trio @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Feat. Bill Bruford.
Fri 30: Jive Aces @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm.
Fri 30: Dan Coulthurst Quintet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £10.00 + £1.00. bf (www.wegottickets.com). Coulthurst (trumpet); Joel Steadman (bass clarinet, flute); Nico Widdowson (piano); Fergus Quill (double bass); Theo Goss (drums).

Sat 31: Darling Dollies @ St George’s Church, Jesmond, Newcastle. 3:00pm. £10.00. Vocal trio.
Sat 31: Brass Fiesta @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 10:30pm. Free.

FEBRUARY 2026

Sun 01: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 01: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Quintet + guest Bill Watson (trumpet, flugelhorn).
Sun 01: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: Annie & the Caldwells @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £25.00. adv. Gospel/soul.
Sun 01: Jive Aces @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm.
Sun 01: Olly Styles Experience + Jenny Baker @ the Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 02: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 02: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 03: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 03: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 04: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 04: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 05: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: TBC.
Thu 05: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Special guest Emma Wilson.
Thu 05: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

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

Wednesday, July 01, 2009

Nina Ferro @ The Spice of Life

Nina Ferro (vcl), Grant Windsor (pno), Simon Little (bs), Martyn Kaine (dms).
Difficult one to pigeonhole - a mix of jazz, soul and good old rock 'n roll. Nina has a powerful voice that brought to mind Gladys Knight - the Queen of the Pips - as she strode through a selection of originals and vintage poppers (She opened with the Everly Brothers "All I Do Is Dream".) Her own "Tossing and Turning" was most certainly a rocker with Grant Windsor in Jerry Lee rather than John Lewis mode. Nevertheless whatever we call it it was crowd pleasing stuff.
Earlier the compere(ss) whose name I missed sang a more jazz orientated mini set. "Our Day Will Come", "Nearness of You" and "Teach Me Tonight".
There was an open mic set to come but by this time the day's oppressive heat had got to me so I called it an early night.
Prior to the gig, the chap on the door, after some banter, said to me "Newcastle? West Jesmond? Hebburn?"
I said how did you work that out?"
He replied "I lived in Edinburgh!"
Later he came over and gave me some tapes (Joe Harriott, Ronnie Ross w. MJQ live. Lennie Niehaus, Stan Getz.)
I thanked him and later he gave me a VHS of Supersax.
I thanked him again.
Next came a back issue of the Canadian Jazz magazine "Coda".
More thanks. I said, "I don't even know your name."
He replied, "I haven't got one!"
Nothing wrong with southern hospitality!
Lance.
Note for Angela - not a single bar of scatting!
at

3 comments :

David Francis said...

A nice surprise to see Martyn Kaine on the blog Lance. He went to school in Whitley Bay but has moved on to more exotic things - like playing with Kyle Eastwood and Eric Marienthal among others. He deserves all the success. He's a very nice guy and a fantastic drummer.

Thursday, July 02, 2009 11:51:00 am
Lance said...

If I'd known that David I'd have introduced myself.

Thursday, July 02, 2009 5:04:00 pm
Hil said...

We went to 'Spice' to see a lovely singer called Juliet Kelly. Zoe had been communicating with her on myspace.
The same nice man on the door gave Zoe some tapes. Perhaps he is just a very kind gentleman?..or maybe he thinks us Northerners need educating in the finer points of jazz...;o)

Thursday, July 02, 2009 5:47:00 pm

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