February 2025
Mon 24: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 24: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.
Tue 25: ?
Wed 26: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 26: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 26: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 27: Jamie McCredie @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Fri 28: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. THIS WEEK ONLY JAMES BIRKETT (guitar)!
Fri 28: Luis Verde Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 28: Spilt Milk @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £8.00.
Fri 28: Knats @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £11.50. (inc bf.). Album launch gig. Support act TBC.
Fri 28: Black is the Color of My Voice @ The Gala, Durham. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman show inspired by the life of Nina Simone, performed by Florence Odumosu.
Fri 28: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival: Musicians Unlimited @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 8:00pm. £10.00. (Weekend ticket £20.00., available on the door). Day 1/3. Musicians Unlimited in concert.
Fri 28: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
MARCH 2025
Sat 01: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 11:00am. £15.00. Day 2/3.
Sat 01: TJ Johnson Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 01: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £25.00. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Get your funk on! Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 01: Shunyata Improvisation Group @ The Watch House, Cullercoats. 2:00-3:30pm. Free.
Sat 01: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers. Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Lapwing Jazz Trio @ Three Sheets to the Wind, Alnwick. 5:15pm or 5:45pm (times tbc). Part of the Alnwick Story Festival's music fringe programme: Free.
Sat 01: Struggle Buggy @ The Peacock, Sunderland. 6:00pm. Blues band.
Sat 01: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Joseph O’Brien: The Ultimate Tribute to Frank Sinatra @ Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm. O’Brien & seven piece band (inc. Wendy Kirkland, Jim Corry & Pat Sprakes).
Sat 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 01: Jack & Jay’s Vintage Songbook @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 02: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 11:00am. £10.00. Day 3/3.
Sun 02: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 02: Nauta @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 02: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free (donations).
Sun 02: Side Café Orkestar @ Café Under the Spire, Derwentwater Road, Gateshead. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 02: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 02: Milne Glendinning Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 6:30pm.
Sun 02: Bella by Barlight @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 02: Ali Watson Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
The word has just reached me that sax player Darren Grainger passed away last night.
11 comments :
I met Darren about eight years ago at the Beamish Mary pub, and he was just getting together with his horn then, we had lots a chat and rapport.. Later I met Marta at the Chilly and she was lovely, they were soul mates. He will be sadly missed by all the gang..
RIP Darren..
Eric Stutt
Darren was a wonderful person, very kind and loving. He loved music and playing... I miss him greatly, RIP Dearest Darren xxx
Marta Roberts
To Darren family and Martha,
The Andall family send there deepest sympathy for your loss.
May he rest in peace.
Bill and family.
RIP to one of the nicest people I ever met. Darren could communicate with anyone, both musically and personally. He was such a warm individual, and we were awed by his strength and positivity in what turned out to be his final months.
Deepest sympathy to Marta and to Darren's family.
Jude
We first met Darren one Sunday night eight or nine years ago at the Beamish Mary pub in the village of No Place, where we had a jazz workshop going under the name "No Place For Jazz". He'd had some prior experience in reading charts through playing in a big band at college, and he soon became a regular, getting to grips with improvisation, and improving all the time. He also played with young bands doing other types of music, and I once asked him how that contrasted with the jazz thing. "It's alright, Dave, I take a lot of what I learn with you guys and apply it there; it's all good." He was also known as "The Sax Machine", and did lots of gigs all over the Northeast, either with bands, or even playing solo saxophone using tracks, so a lot of people heard him over the years. We love and miss him a lot, and hope his soul will rest in peace. Dave - -Take It To The Bridge
Hi Lance
I'd say hello to Darren at gigs. A while ago we chatted about the difficult times he was having. He seemed to be a very positive, friendly bloke.
Russell
I was saddened to hear the news of Darren Grainger's passing - as were several of my colleagues who knew him at Macmillan Cancer Support. I interviewed him last year for an article in the Royal Marsden Hospital's internal magazine, and he was wonderfully optimistic about life, and showed a true commitment to helping raise awareness for the disease. Deepest condolences to Darren's family and partner from all at Macmillan Cancer Support.
i knew darren for several years as he was my form teacher and maths teacher at both parkway and linhope schools. every morning we would go into class and he'd be there always calm and colective no matter what. he was genuinely one of the most nicest kindest people you could ever meet. my fondest memory of darren was when our classroom assistant danny was leaving for pastures new he asked me if i wanted to go with him and get danny a farewell present, im pretty sure he never asked the head teacher for permission but darren as always was doing something nice for someone. we got him mike basett england manager the film. it sad of me to remember something like that but darren was such a stand up bloke i'll never forget. im sorry im posting this so long after his passing but i have only just found out. thanks for everything darren and sorry for any hard times we may of given you when we were at school.
Thanks, Lance for the info on the comment by Darren Wood on Darren. Currently I am in Poland on holiday, this is First time without Darren going to Poland so it's a bit hard...The message is wonderful and truly reflects what kind of person Darren really was. I have to say that I am still comming to terms with the loss of Darren and learning to be on my own... Apart from this I have had good time here in Poland trying to relax I have gone for four day course very near border with Bielaruss 800 meters away! doing yoga wich was great! Polish nature is incredibly beautiful and there are amazing forests. It is very hot here over 30 degrees! Regards, Marta
Just wanted to leave a message here. Sax-Man (as I knew him before he gave himself the Sax Machine nickname) would have been 40 yesterday.
I'd known him since '92, where we met at uni. There are far too many memories I have for me to list them all here, but Marta, if you're reading this, here's one: it was good to get you and Sax-Man to the Meza Bar in London. Great food, good company and conversation. I just wish it was under better circumstances.
Sax-Man, you rest in peace, boss.
Carl
Hi Carl!
It's Marta here, it is nice of you to continiue to remember Darren...
I know from Darren you and Him were good friends at Uni. If you would like to get in touch with me plese leave your no at this E-mail adress: kasik@talktalk.net
Take care Marta
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