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.

Tuesday, June 08, 2010

The Blaydon Aces - Roly Veitch (guitar & vocals) & James Birkett (guitar) @ Blaydon & District CIU. June 7

Blaydon Jazz Club's Roly Veitch took the opportunity in Blaydon Races Week (Twas on the ninth of June and all that) to invite his friend and fellow guitarist Jim Birkett to join him in playing some favourite Geordie dialect tunes. It just so happens that the Blaydon Aces latest CD Gan Canny is released tomorrow (Wednesday - Twas on the ninth of June and all that), now that's what I call good marketing!
Geordie tunesmiths from down the years were the focal point throughout three entertaining sets in the concert room. Joe Wilson's Keep Your Feet Still Geordie Hinny, The Lambton Worm from the pen of C.M. Leumane (of whom little is known), Tommy Armstrong's The Row Atween the Cages (a commentary on developments in the mining industry) and many other familiar tunes by the likes of Thomas Wilson (Thomas Wilson CIU Club in Low fell is worth a visit!), Jack Robson (Wherever Ye Gan You're Sure to Find a Geordie), Geordie Ridley (Blaydon Races) and Alan Hull (Fog on the Tyne). Highlights were many - two in particular for this listener were a beautiful ballad The Cliffs of Old Tynemouth by David Leitch (Roly described Leitch as a humanitarian - no bad thing to be, I'd say) and a Veitch original Gan Canny. The musicianship and vocals (!) were of the highest calibre and jazzers though they undoubtedly are, Veitch and Birkett, for the most part, kept in check their natural inclination to Play That Thing! All in all this way a most convivial evening in the always welcoming surroundings of Blaydon CIU Club.
Jazz takes centre stage at the same venue on Thursday night (June 10th) when the Blaydon Jazz Quartet (Roly and the boys) will be joined by reeds maestro John Hallam. Admission at the door £6.00. 8:30 pm start.
Russell.

No comments :

Blog Archive