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, December 17, 2012

Lindsay Hannon Plus/Jam Session @ Splinter @ The Bridge. Sunday December 16.

Lindsay Hannon (vcl); James Harrison (pno); John Pope (bs); Mark Robertson (dms) + Paul Gowland (ten); Graham Hardy (tpt), Gabriele Heller, Keiran, Belinda Voshtina, Zoe Gilby, Dave Weisser (vcl).
(Review by Lance.)
It was free entry for the end of season jam and, as such, the room was full although it has to be said most folk seemed  to be donating generously.
The new line-up of Lindsay Hannon Plus got the ball rolling with The Doors' I Am a Spy. After some initial hesitancy new pianist James Harrison slotted in fine. James always looks as if he is having the time of his life and he probably is.  So Long Big Time and The End of a Love Affair followed before Paul Gowland joined them for The Very Thought of You.
Paul was in good form. Lullaby of Birdland showed off all five to advantage.
Lindsay took a well-earned breather and Graham Hardy stepped up to join Paul for a blistering I'll Remember April. I may not remember April but I'll certainly remember this! Graham's trumpet solo was almost saxophonic in its long flowing lines, Paul matched him and James managed to slot in a quote from Royal Garden Blues. John Pope too had humorous moments during his prodigious bass solo whilst Mark kicked seven shades out of the kit in the exchange of 4's and 8's with Paul.
Interval time.
High Level Bitter was tonight's chosen brew and it went down well with the delights on stage.
The second set saw Gabby open up with (not so) Softly as in a Morning Sunrise complete with scat chorus. Over the past couple of years her voice and stage presence have reached a stage where she can command an audience's rapt attention. Apart from Gabby, Paul blew an emotive solo on Good Morning Heartache.
Tonight was starting to look like a late Gig of the Year contender!
A young man, Keiron, was next. Totally unaccompanied he sang the verse to a well known standard but what was it?
This day and age we’re living in
Gives cause for apprehension
With speed and new invention
And things like Third Dimension
Yet we get a trifle weary
Of Mr. Einstein’s theory
So we must get down to earth at times
Relax relieve the tension.
No matter what the progress
Or what may yet be proved
The simple facts of life are such
They cannot be removed…
You must remember this...
As Time Goes By. Sung beautifully.
Graham and Paul worked out on Cherokee at tempo de lick then another tender moment.
Belinda Voshtina sang When Sunny Gets Blue accompanied only by James on keyboard. I prayed nobody would drop a pin - it would have been deafening.
Nobody did although the applause at the end showed the audience's approval.
Zoe did the business on You'd be so Nice to Come Home to followed by BSH's latest reviewer Dave Weisser who, sans trumpet, sang I Love The Life I Live - excellent.
As I left for the number 27, Lindsay was taking off on Caravan.
It had been quite a night!
Lance.

2 comments :

Lance said...

PS: I should have also mentioned that Lindsay was fantastic!

Bill and Maureen said...

What a great night out it was at the Bridge last night. Hope the people who organized it get a big thank you, especially Zoe.

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