Bebop Spoken There

Melissa Aldana: ''Having to play a ballads album, which is something very revealing for a saxophone player, would help me to question some new aspects of how to go deeper into sound." (DownBeat May, 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

18656 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 520 of them this year alone and, so far this month (June 25) 72

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

From This Moment On

June

Mon 29: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 30: Alan Law Trio @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free.
Tue 30: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

July

Wed 01: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 01: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 01: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 02: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 02: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Thu 02: De’Sean Jones & Blaque Dynamite feat. Urban Art Orchestra @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). De’Sean Jones (MD, tenor sax); Blaque Dynamite (Mike Mitchell, drums); Jamie Murray (drums) with UAO horns & strings.
Thu 02: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.
Thu 02: Howlin’ Mat @ Newcastle Arts centre. 7:30pm. Free. Acoustic

Fri 03: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 03: Paul Donnelly Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 03: Martin Taylor @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Taylor (solo guitar).

Sat 04: Spats Langham’s Hot Fingers @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 04: Michael Woods @ Cycle Hub, Quayside, Ouseburn. 1:30-2:30pm & 3:00-4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues guitar. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sat 04: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Take the ‘A’ Train to Summertime: From Melody to Masterclass. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 05: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 05: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Feat. guest Kevin Eland (trumpet).
Sun 05: Michael Woods @ Cycle Hub, Quayside, Ouseburn. 1:30-2:30pm & 3:15-4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues guitar. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sun 05: Lydia Rae Quintet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Rae (vocals); Sam Lightwing (alto sax, tenor sax); Ben Lawrence (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Sun 05: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 05: Storytellers Street Band @ Ouseburn Woodland, Ouseburn. 5:00-6:00pm. Free. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sun 05: Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 05: Jambone @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:15-9:45pm. Free but ticketed.

Monday, October 26, 2009

Martin Drew Comments...

Hi Lance Sincere thanks for your review of this gig (LCD @ The Corner House, Newcastle). Would you mind if I used it on my website, please? Laurence Cottle sent it to me. He's some player isn't he?!! The band only came about originally from a chat I had with Mornington Lockett about travelling about in these days of ridiculous petrol prices!! The three of us can all get in one car, thereby saving the expense of extra gas with extra cars. I instantly knew it would work musically, and it's nice to be vindicated. We really enjoyed the gig, especially as it included a 600 mile plus drive up and back! At my age if I can't enjoy the gig what's the point? Have a look at my website at www.martindrew.co.uk. I'm sure you'll find it interesting. Once again, many thanks and I'll look forward to talking with you either by email, telephone, message in the bottle, etc., etc. Martin Drew. (Photo courtesy of Adrian Tilbrook.)
Click here for free Lawrence Cottle downloads as mentioned in comments.

5 comments :

Lance said...

By all means use the review on your website.
It isn't every day that a member of jazz's upper echelons visit Bebop Spoken Here so feel free.

Liz said...

I remember Martin at York when you, Lance,came to the Early Music Centre with us. He left a big impression on me as a first class musician & a man of the world. I loved his laid back style.
Liz

cptfinch said...

I saw Martin a few weeks ago playin with Alan Barnes at the Darlington Arts centre. Needless to say he was top class! - showing very tasteful light swingin cymbol. A couple of years ago he was at the Caedmon Hall in Gateshead with Peter King. It was a quiet night because a big England game was on at the same time I think. I remember he played some fantastic longer solos.

Liz said...

Had a look at his website...My God, what a pedigree!
Liz

Robert Laing said...

Hi Lance,
Nice to see the response from Martin Drew today. Laurence Cottle is a "friend" of mine on Myspace, so I wrote to him at the weekend to let him know about the glowing reference on your bebop blog. He must have forwarded the email to Martin. It was a great night, certainly one to remember for tenor players, drummers and bassists.
For your own info, and if you want to let other people in on it (especially as the CD for sale at the Corner House did not have any Laurence Cottle on it - but I still bought it and it's a belter) Laurence has TWO cd's that are FREE for download on his website. My personal favourite is the arrangement of "Bouncing with Bud" - the band is top notch and it might be worth sharing this info with your expanding blog fanbase. I suppose Laurence might appreciate it too. The live album really demonstrates the quality of his and the band's musicianship.

Robert (son of George) Laing

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