Bebop Spoken There

Emma Rawicz: "In a couple of years I've gone from being a normal university student to suddenly being on international stages." DownBeat January 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

18219 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 73 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 24), 73

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Fri 30: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 30: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 30: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 30: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 30: Pete Roth Trio @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Feat. Bill Bruford.
Fri 30: Jive Aces @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm.
Fri 30: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Northern Edge Coffee, Silver St., Berwick. 7:00pm.
Fri 30: Dan Coulthurst Quintet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £10.00 + £1.00. bf (www.wegottickets.com). Coulthurst (trumpet); Joel Stedman (bass clarinet, flute); Nico Widdowson (piano); Fergus Quill (double bass); Theo Goss (drums).

Sat 31: Darling Dollies @ St George’s Church, Jesmond, Newcastle. 3:00pm. £10.00. Vocal trio.
Sat 31: Brass Fiesta @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 10:30pm. Free.

FEBRUARY 2026

Sun 01: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 01: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Quintet + guest Bill Watson (trumpet, flugelhorn).
Sun 01: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: Annie & the Caldwells @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £25.00. adv. Gospel/soul.
Sun 01: Jive Aces @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm.
Sun 01: Olly Styles Experience + Jenny Baker @ the Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 02: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 02: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 03: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 03: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 04: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 04: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 05: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject:Times of the Day & Trios.
Thu 05: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Special guest Emma Wilson.
Thu 05: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

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

Monday, April 23, 2012

Those Were The Days! Newcastle Jazz Festival 1972. (Actually 1977)

Andy Hudson kindly sent me this flyer from 1972 Newcastle Jazz Festival of which he was, at the time, Director. Of particular interest and, in retrospect, much amusement are the admission charges.
Nothing over £1.75 - for individual concerts by Melly, Ball and Bilk - lesser mortals such as Stan Tracey, Don Rendell and Ronnie Scott were a snip at £1.25! whilst Teddy Wilson came in at £1.50!
Thank you Andy for the flyer and those wonderful concerts.

8 comments :

JKasker said...

In this concert you remember the NBB musicians?. Are the same than the Jazz Festival of San Sebastian?. Thanks Lance!!!.

This is my blog about Sting: http//todosobresting.blogspot.com

Thanks!!!

Lance said...

I can't remember exactly but they were similar.

Andy Hudson said...

The later Big Band had Ronnie Pearson on Drums and Pete Stewart on Bass the San Sebastian and Pau (1st trips) had Jackie Denton AND Don Eddy on drums (great driving fun - but didn't make for quiet numbers like L'il Darlin and of course Ian Heslop initially and then Sting was on Bass.
Until his untimely death John Pearce was Lead Trumpet on the early gigs and did many of the arrangements.

JKasker said...

Thanks for all the useful information. I tried to reconstruction a distant age. I have searching Photos unseen of NBB and Last Exit. I can't believe talking with members of this bands. It's incredible!!!!. Thanks for open Your memories!!!!.

Steve Andrews said...

Sorry chaps, but this can't be the programme from the 1972 Newcastle Jazz Festival - the Savannah Syncopators was not formed until 1976! I well remember playing the George Melly gig in the University theatre. It was probably 1978 or '79. Bearing in mind the rampant inflation of the late 1970's (26%!!!!!! at one point) those prices look even more reasonable!

Lance said...

Well spotted Steve. The only October 21 that fell on a Friday during the '70s was in 1977.

Sid Smith said...

I believe this was from 1977. I recall seeing the Stan Tracey Octet gig playing material from The Bracknell Connection which had only just been released. Also I was at the Surman / Mangelsdorff gig - a very short-lived band who formed and broke up in 1977. Great to be reminded of this ace festival.

Dave Padget said...

I attended the Newcastle jazz festivals 1978 and 1979 as I was at the polytechnic.
I cannot remember which year was which but remember Dexter Gordon.Stan Tracey and John Surman and Mike gibbs only chrome waterfall orch at the uni and stan traceys ooctet and Gill Evans in Jesmond
Would love to be reminded of the house band members

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