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

18656 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 520 of them this year alone and, so far this month (June 25) 72

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

Mon 29: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 30: Alan Law Trio @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free.
Tue 30: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

July

Wed 01: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 01: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 01: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 02: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 02: 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 02: De’Sean Jones & Blaque Dynamite feat. Urban Art Orchestra @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). De’Sean Jones (MD, tenor sax); Blaque Dynamite (Mike Mitchell, drums); Jamie Murray (drums) with UAO horns & strings.
Thu 02: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.
Thu 02: Howlin’ Mat @ Newcastle Arts centre. 7:30pm. Free. Acoustic

Fri 03: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 03: Paul Donnelly Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 03: Martin Taylor @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Taylor (solo guitar).

Sat 04: Spats Langham’s Hot Fingers @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 04: Michael Woods @ Cycle Hub, Quayside, Ouseburn. 1:30-2:30pm & 3:00-4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues guitar. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sat 04: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Take the ‘A’ Train to Summertime: From Melody to Masterclass. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 05: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 05: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Feat. guest TBC.
Sun 05: Michael Woods @ Cycle Hub, Quayside, Ouseburn. 1:30-2:30pm & 3:15-4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues guitar. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sun 05: Lydia Rae Quintet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Rae (vocals); Sam Lightwing (alto sax, tenor sax); Ben Lawrence (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Sun 05: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 05: Storytellers Street Band @ Ouseburn Woodland, Ouseburn. 5:00-6:00pm. Free. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sun 05: Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 05: Jambone @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:15-9:45pm. Free but ticketed.

Sunday, July 11, 2010

CUT SHORT AT THE FRINGE! PAUL EDIS SEXTET/ZOE GILBY at the Boardwalk, Whitley Bay

I arrived late, having failed to spot the venue from the road and found traffic wardens menacing all the musicians’ cars outside. Welcome to Whitley Bay! Sadly, Paul had been ticketed before I could get the keys and move his car and I missed more of the set before catching the last few bars of Black Orpheus. I enjoyed all of Waltz and Three Funked Mice as well as Part Three of Paul’s suite entitled It’s Behind You. An impromptu burst of Happy Birthday To You (for the trombonist, Chris Hibberd) got such generous applause that Paul is planning to include it at all future gigs! The set concluded with the barnstorming Big Jug Blues, to more generous applause from an appreciative audience.
Next up was Zoe Gilby who took us through several well-known numbers such as I'm Beginning to See the Light and I Only Have Eyes For You, with arrangements and delivery which made them fresh and interesting, as well as originals from the Gilby/Champion songbook (soon to be Champion/Champion!) such as Your Words. Zoe also treated us to a sung “thank you…and don’t forget to come to the evening gig, after the football” which was both ingenious and tuneful.
All were eclipsed by a sizzling Peggy Lee number, Some Cats Know, where the “knowledge” in question was clearly more carnal than academic! After which, sadly, I had to leave for fear that the jobsworths would get me for overstaying in the car-park.
Welcome to Whitley Bay!
Jerry E.

2 comments :

Lance said...

Friends of mine spent £60 on tickets for a concert at The Sage then came out and found themselves hit with a £50 ticket reduced to £25 for prompt payment.

Jay and Kay said...

Regarding The Boardwalk sessions on Sunday afternoon. We totally endorse everything written by Jerry E. The Paul Edis Sextet was a great opener and Zoe had me wiping a tear at one moment and well the rest can be left to my imagination. She deserves to be a Champion!!(Sorry about that) The backing was as ever excellent.
However it was a pity Jerry E. had to leave before the Alter Ego set(blame the traffic warden) he would have loved it I feel sure as they rounded off the session in fine style. Some very lively solos and as a group the sound was great, we could have listened for another hour.
Thank you Zoe and the team for organising such a splended day we don't normally wish our time away but roll on September and more Jazz at The Bridge.
Jay & Kay.

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