Bebop Spoken There

Donovan Haffner ('Best Newcomer' 2025 Parliamentary Jazz Awards): ''I got into jazz the first time I picked up a saxophone!" - Jazzwise Dec 25/Jan 26

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

18146 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 24 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 7), 24

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Sat 10: Mark Toomey Quintet @ St Peter’s Church, Stockton-on-Tees. 7:30pm. £12.00. (inc. pie & peas). Tickets from: 07749 255038.

Sun 11: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 12: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 12: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 13: Milne Glendinning Band @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00. Coquetdale Jazz.
Tue 13: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 14: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 14: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 15: Mark Toomey Quartet @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. Quartet + guest Paul Donnelly (guitar).

Fri 16: Giles Strong Quartet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 16: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 16: Darlington Big Band @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 16: Leeds City Stompers @ Billy Bootleggers, Newcastle. 9:00pm. Free.

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

Monday, May 31, 2010

Alan Glen Trio @ The Cherry Tree Restaurant

Alan Glen (pno), John Pope (bs), David Carnegie (dms).
If you haven't listened to Alan, David and John playing The Way You Look Tonight whilst savouring Duck Croquettes with Pickled Plums then your life is incomplete.
The Duck was my starter but the boys had kicked off earlier with a nice steady If I Should Lose You followed by that eternal quest to discover the depth of the ocean done in a most rhapsodic fashion.
Green Dolphin Street and an Autumn Leaves that didn't hang about signalled the entrance of the Duck Croquette. After The Way You Look Tonight, All Blues and Woody'n You saw the set out. It had been a good one - Alan at the baby grand is another dimension again.
The time between sets was spent putting my lips around Chicken Nicoise that had been grilled to perfection although the ill-fated bird may have disagreed (my apologies to vegetarians for making light.)
Delicious.
Equally mouthwatering was All of You after which Alan introduced the band to the audience and even threw in a couple of gags before going into You Don't Know What Love Is followed by Four.
Time After Time had a beautiful exploratory first chorus - just solo piano - before David and John picked it up.
Speak Low was as smooth as the Chocolate Créme Brulee, Cherry Financier.
One of Alan's originals - Country Member gently rocked whilst Love Letters owed nothing to Ketty Lester!
Sanity prevailed in What's New? before David was let loose on Something Borrowed Something Blue an original inspired by a Hampton Hawes tune hence the borrowed part of the title.
This was a good gig in front of a decent sized audience most of whom stayed on after the final glass of Cabernet Sauvignon, Pacifico Sur had been downed.
If you like good food and good music it's the only game in town.
The trio play The Chilli this Wednesday and David's Extreme Measures are at The Bridge on Sunday.
Lance.
Next week it's the Paul Edis Trio with Chris Hibbard on trombone.

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