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

18621 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 485 of them this year alone and, so far this month (June 14) 37

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

June

Sat 20: Tyne Valley Big Band @ Tynedale Beer Festival, Corbridge. 5:00-6:00pm.
Sat 20: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 20: Red Kites Jazz @ Staithes Café, Dunston. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Sat 20: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Trinity Church, Gosforth, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00. NCRO w. guests Dean Stockdale & Nick Ward.

Sun 21: From Lagos to Longbenton: Unity in the Community @ Sunderland Minster. From 1:30pm. Free. A multi-bill Unity in the Community event, inc. From Lagos to Longbenton.
Sun 21: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 21: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free. Trio w. Graham Hardy.
Sun 21: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Magpies of Swing @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 22: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 23: Alan Law Trio @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free.
Tue 23: Jude Murphy & Dan Stanley @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 24: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 24: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 24: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 25: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 25: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: Forgotten Ones & Any Quintets.
Thu 25: Edgar Ho Trio @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free. Brilliant alto sax, piano & double bass trio. Unmissable!
Thu 25: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Fri 26: Finn-Keeble Group @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £9:00.
Fri 26: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 26: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 26: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 26: Clark Tracey @ Live Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Newcastle Jazz Festival. £26.00. Day 1/2.

Friday, July 09, 2010

Bob Caswell & Frank Brooker with Blaydon Jazz Trio @ Blaydon Jazz Club. 8th July.

Bob Caswell (vocals), Frank Brooker (tenor saxophone, clarinet & vocals), Jeremy McMurray (piano), Pete Ayton (electric bass) & John Hirst (drums)
Front line veterans Bob Caswell and Frank Brooker shared the limelight in the company of a first class rhythm section featuring 'house' pianist Jeremy McMurray, Pete Ayton, McMurray's Teesside sidekick playing six string electric bass and as Down Beat would say, 'rising star' John Hirst on drums.
Brooker warmed up with the trio on a couple of numbers before Caswell took it on with The Best Things in Life Are Free. Caswell possesses that old school stage craft and charm, Brooker clearly enjoyed working alongside him and for the most part was content to play a supportive role - this was very much Caswell's night. Brooker closed the first set playing clarinet on a storming version of Monk's Straight No Chaser.
The second set promised much as Brooker got down to business - jacket off, sleeves rolled up - One Foot in the Gutter followed by Hank Mobley's Soul Station were the real deal, taken at a lick with an infusion of blues for good measure. Caswell sang Ol' Man River setting such a tempo that the boys in the band did well to hang on in there. The Lady is a Tramp, Cry Me a River and others showcased our vocalist's impeccable phrasing and reading of a lyric. McMurray was on form (is he ever off form?) , Ayton knows his way around his instrument and John Hirst is, quite simply, a 'rising star'.
Audience numbers were given a welcome boost with an invited party of Mothers and Toddlers (thankfully the latter were at home in bed) and regulars from Blaydon CIU Club's dance night. A jazz crowd they weren't - Ronnie Scott would certainly have had something to say but this was a bold initiative by Roly & co. to try and stimulate interest in the always excellent jazz on offer at Blaydon Jazz Club. The next session is in September - Thursday 9th - featuring the Blaydon Jazz Quartet with the added bonus, at no extra cost, of the fabulous Ms. Ruth Lambert.
Russell.
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