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 Steadman (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

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

CD Review: Hannabiell and Midnight Blue. With Us.

After their recent gig at Hoochie Coochie I intended to review Hannabiell and  Midnight Blue's superb CD With Us but, after reading Ann's review of the disc written after the CD launch party, it occurred to me that no way could I improve upon this so instead I've re-posted her original review.
Lance.
Hannabiell Sanders ("Tyler" the bass trombone, percussion,mbira, vocal); Yilis Suriel (djembe, mbira, percussion); John Pope (bass); George Magrath (drums); Nate Shaw (keyboard); Mark Edwards (vibraphone); Helen Papaioannou (saxophone); Nuala Kennedy (vocal, penny whistle); Thuli Mazwi (vocal); Ali Gillies (Nintendo DS Sampler).
(Review by Ann Alex)
1: King? Opens with "Tyler" blowing a strong riff with New Orleans influences, samba grooves and lots of jazzy improvisation.  Includes brass, bass, drums, keyboard, vibraphone.
2: Ndlovkazi (The Female Elephant). Very different, a celebration of femaleness, a very ethnic sound with keyboard, mbira, vibraphone, drums and others, African singing, clapping, speech.
3:Triple It: This track lasts 3.13 minutes (get it?) and the music comes in threes, with accompaniment from percussion and vuvuzela only.  Very catchy.
4:Tyler's Line. Featuring bass trombone playing a hesitant riff, kit, cow bell and others, speeding up to a climax, a very jazzy track.
5: Protest Culture. This sounds like a protest march with clacking percussion and whistles, a low drum, mostly a rhythmic piece plus melodic snatches of trombone.
6: With Us. The title track features the sweet voices of Thuli Mazwi and Nuala Kennedy singing such words as ‘Peace be with us now’ to a Caribbean style of accompaniment, provided by bass, drums, vibraphone and others.
7: Squid. This track is effective but somewhat disturbing, featuring the words of Martin Luther King played over a drone, with garbled words and distortion.  It is dedicated to the victims of Hurricane Katrina and the Haiti earthquake.
The CD is good value, with an average track length of 5 minutes, and an ideal memento of seeing this band live.  Catch them and the CD somewhere soon!  
Ann Alex.
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