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.

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Bebop Spoken Here Tonight - BUDVIVAR and HARLEY JOHNSON TRIO - Splinter @ the Bridge.

Harley Johnson (pno), Jim Crinson (bs), Eric Stutt (dms).
-----
Debra Milne (vcl), Nicola Weaver (alt/vcl), Fiona Littlewood (ten/vcl), Stuart Findon (ten/vcl), Chris Finch (pno), Jim Crinson (bs), Eric Stutt (dms/vcl).
The evening began with a bang in the form of the Harley Johnson Trio. This was possibly the loudest version of Softly as in a Morning Sunrise I've ever heard! It was also one of the best.
In fairness, I was sitting next to the stage and I got the full brunt of Harley's percussive pianistics and Eric's percussive percussion which, once my senses became attuned, was the best seat in the house.
It was a good set of mainly originals by the 18 year old pianist - Monk's Rhythm-a-ning being the only other non-original - Day Dream, Oh Dear! Oh Dear! and Eric's Conclusion the titles.
Eric and Harley display an amazing empathy with each paraphrasing the other. However, I felt it was slightly overdone causing it to appear as a rehearsed 'spontaneity' which I know it wasn't.
Nevertheless a good start to the evening by the triple generation trio.
Eric and Jim, who had been a tower of strength midst it all, stayed on for Budvivar's set of predominantly bop based themes.
An instrumental, Oleo led to their staple repertoire of Four, In Walked Bud Nica's Dream, etc.
Debra was in good voice tonight although Stu Findon didn't seem to be kicking as blisteringly powerful as usual. Tonight he was more Getz than Rollins.
Fiona played some nice things on There Will Never Be Another You and Nicola had a lovely alto chorus on You Go to My Head.
Chris Finch, undeterred by Harley's tour-de-force, did his own thing playing some good idiomatic solos and nice block chords.
Debra, the horns and Eric turned choir for Centrepiece which worked well as did the final Hit That Jive Jack - it always does.
A splendid night.
Next week it's Nick Pride and the Pimptones.
Lance.
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