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

18573 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 437 of them this year alone and, so far this month (May 28) 91

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

May

Fri 29: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 29: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.

Sat 30: Giles Strong Quartet @ Langley Tracks, Langley on Tyne NE47 5LA. 5:30pm (doors). £15.00 + £1.50 bf.

Sun 31: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 31: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 31: Sinfonia of London: Tea Dance @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 3:00pm. Free. John Wilson ensemble performing on the concourse. Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, George & Ira Gershwin & more.
Sun 31: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 31: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £3.76.
Sun 31: Joe Steels @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. Free (donations direct to the musicians). Joe Steels & Friends.
Sun 31: Ben Haskins Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00.

June

Mon 01: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 01: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Mon 01: CW Stoneking @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Blues, Americana.

Tue 02: Mark Williams Trio @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00.
Tue 02: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law, Paul Grainger, John Hirst.
Tue 02: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 03: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 03: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 03: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 04: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 04: Postmodern Jukebox @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm.
Thu 04: 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 04: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

"Theatre by the Lake" in Keswick An evening with John Hallam and friends, featuring "Spats" Langham. March 21.


(Because it happened before the Gateshead Festival and arrived after the Festival Ray Robson's review of a concert at Keswick's "Theatre by the Lake" got buried. However, I've brought it forward so those who know Keswick can wallow in its pastoral tranquility and say "I wish I'd been there - maybe in May for the Keswick JF..." - Lance)
John Hallam (clt/sax), Thomas "Spats" Langham (gtr/bjo/vcl), Roy Cansdale (bass), Paul Adams (dms)
 Perhaps a long way to travel from Newcastle to listen to Jazz, but an excellent Sunday lunch at The Sportsman In Laversdale on the way plus the thought of listening to two such accomplished musicians as John Hallam and Spats Langham inspired us to make that journey.
And it was well worth the effort!
A full house in the fairly atmospheric studio was entertained initially by the humorous intro of Paul Adams and the thought that not only were the band being filmed, so were we the audience, for a musical promotion of some sort. However thoughts of stardom were quickly forgotten when the jazz began ...
The superb playing of John Hallam on clarinet and sax was mixed admirably with Spats' marvelous guitar playing, accompanied by excellent rhythm work by Roy and Paul.   Spats sang vocals on a few tracks, in that inimitable "twenties" style he so personifies - ah,  you could close your eyes and go back in time ...
Add a couple of banjo solos from Spats which were well received, and all of a sudden the night had flown over, it always seems to when you are enjoying yourself ...
There are other events at the "Theatre" as part of the Keswick Jazz Festival, Sun 9 to Wed 12 May, well worth a visit, especially the "Evans-Hallam Magic Five", we saw this "new" band at Jan Grasmere Jazz weekend, and they just blew us away... John H is joined by James Evans (both on reeds) with superb pianist Tom Kincaide and 3 great rhythm guys.
Ray Robson.
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