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

18122 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 1086 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Dec. 31), 100

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Wed 07: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 07: FILM: Blue Moon @ The Forum Cinema, Hexham. 2:00pm. Dir. Richard Linklater’s biopic of Lorenz Hart.
Wed 07: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 07: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 08: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: Jazz Milestones of 1976.

Fri 09: The House Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00.
Fri 09: Nauta @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Trio: Jacob Egglestone, Jamie Watkins, Bailey Rudd.
Fri 09: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Warren James & the Lonesome Travellers @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £15.00.
Fri 09: The Blue Kings @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £10.00. (£8.00. adv.). All-star band.

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.

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

Sunday, January 09, 2011

Super Sunday. Jazz Café Jam

Lindsay Hannon, Gaby, Fiona Littlewood, (vcl), Pete Giliigan (pno), Alan Law (pno) Stu Findon (bs), Matt Office (gtr).
Stepping into the Jazz Café is, in many ways, stepping back in time. The place exudes history and you are taken back to a magical time when - I believe - the world was a better place. Maybe it wasn't...
The Pink Lane venue doesn't book the Courtney Pines of this world although, if CP were in town the chances are he'd drop by for a blow after his gig. No, the Jazz Café is the way things were when we (me!) were young.
The audience is young and student based the only difference is they no longer wear Duffle Coats.
They talk and chat and that's okay. If somebody blows something good enough they'll shut up.
Lindsay caught them tonight with Body and Soul. You could have heard a knicker drop!
Alongside the blonde bombshell was a new face on the scene - Luke Phillips - who fluted his wayround the changes. It was a tough trip but he made it scoring (Clifford) Brownie Points. Earlier, Luke had blown some funky choruses on a Summertime sequence - keep a look out for Luke!
Lindsay was in superb voice today and her take on You've Changed drew on every nuance of this wonderful ballad - The sparkle in your eyes is gone tells it all.
Gaby strutted her Teutonic charm around God Bless the Child and Like Someone in Love and Fiona did nice things to Yardbird Suite and There is no Greater Love.
Pete Gilligan kept it all together moving from piano to drums when Alan Law put done his tenor case and took over on keys! Sax player Stu Findon was, of course, playing bass. On top of the music there are the insults from the Maitré D' (to me) - "That shirt must have been a Xmas present!"
When he doesn't insult you is the time to worry - means you're off the A list!
More excellence over at The Bridge where Alter Ego blew up a storm. However, still slightly feeling the effects of the past week's Ague I left at halftime - no reflection on the music which will be dealt with by Russell.
Lance.

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