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.

Monday, August 08, 2011

Jazz Action @ The Stockton Weekender. August 7th - Part one.

The Georgian Theatre in Stockton once again hosted the Jazz Action showcase running from noon 'til late.
Teesside trumpeter Noel Dennis blew the first note of the day to signal a set of top class Blue Note inspired jazz. Trombone ace Chris Hibbard, the advertised attraction with Dennis' band, wasn't available yet his absence didn't detract from the performance. Tunes by Wayne Shorter, Tom Harrell and Woody Shaw were given due respect and solos flowed from Dennis, guitarist Mark Williams and Andy Champion (double bass).
A quick turnaround and Saxophonics took to the stage. Given that there wasn't much of a hiatus the quartet started, rather ironically, with Mike Mower's Hiatus. Tenor player Graeme Wilson brought a couple of tunes to the table and we feasted (and supped) on Street of Furs and Stranded at the Wine Bar. Wilson and fellow reedsmen Niall Armstrong (baritone sax), Steve Summers (tenor & alto saxes) and Keith Robinson (alto & soprano saxes) executed immaculate close harmony ensemble work throughout and were a joy to listen to.
Jazz Action workshops are a feature of the Stockton music scene and following months of hard work aspiring musicians are given the chance to perform to an attentive public each year at the Stockton Weekender. This year the talented students - collectively known as Milestones - the Next Step - faced the challenge of original material thrown at them by tutors Graham Hardy (trumpet) and Andy Champion (double bass). Hardy's Blue Dragon opened with a free-ish section and featured a mature, measured contribution from a very young looking and talented guitarist. Caroline Bagley, once a student of these sessions and now very much a role model tutor herself played some killer alto and her frontline partners, two altoists, got stuck in to the material. Bass and percussion did the business with kit player Tom Chapman destined to go far. Bassist Andy Champion was commissioned to write a suite for the occasion and the ensemble passed with flying colours. (See comments for full personnel).
Russell.
There will be more postings from Russell on this mammoth occasion over the next few days.
at

1 comment :

Adrian/Russell said...

Milestones - The Next Step consisted of :
Graham Hardy trumpet
Caroline Bagley saxophone
Mark Jackson piano
Andy Champion double bass
Caitilin Hepworth saxophone
Susie Roberts saxophone
Alex Sheerer bass guitar
Katie Lamb drums
Tom Chapman perc
Andy Sheerer guitar
Jack Bartley guitar.

Thursday, August 11, 2011 6:20:00 pm

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