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

18246 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 100 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 31), 100

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

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.

Fri 06: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 06: Durham Alumni Big Band & Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn Theatre. 7:30pm. £12.00. Two big bands on stage together!
Fri 06: Nauta + Littlewood Trio @ Little Buildings, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Double bill + jam session.
Fri 06: FILM: Made in America @ Star & Shadow Cinema, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Ornette Coleman.
Fri 06: Deep Six Blues @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm.

Sat 07: The Big Easy @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 07: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30-3:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 08: Swing Tyne @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12 noon (doors). Donations. Swing dance taster class (12:30pm) + Hot Club de Heaton (live performance). Non dancers welcome.
Sun 08: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 09: Mark Williams Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 09: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 10: 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

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Tonight @ The Lit and Phil

Jazz North East presents
COREY MWAMBA(solo vibraphone)
+ ROBERT MITCHELL
(solo piano)+ MITCHELL - MWAMBA DUO
Wednesday 13th February | 8.00pm
Literary & Philosophical Society | 23 Westgate Road | Newcastle NE1 1SE
Tickets £10.00 | £8.00 concessions from 0191 232 0192
Note: Steps to this venue make accessibility difficult for wheelchair users

Hot on the heels of last Friday's great double bill at the Lit & Phil comes another superb pairing. Pianist Robert Mitchell is part way through a 21 date UK tour promoting his new solo album 'The Glimpse', but only Jazz North East are providing added value by putting him together with vibes maestro Corey Mwamba (it's a combination that's not even happening tonight, when Robert plays in Corey's home town of Derby).
Robert's album, due for official release next Monday but available for sale at tomorrow's gig, is remarkable in that it's made up of performances for left hand only. But any thoughts that this is a dry academic exercise are dispelled from the start: previewing the album, critic Bruce Lindsay in AllAboutJazz wrote "His left hand is a hand that creates many moods, moving across the 88 keys with flair and grace and generating rhythms and melodies which engage and surprise". An absorbing prospect.
Corey, who opens the Lit & Phil gig, will definitely be using both hands, a great number of mallets and other beaters, and probably even his feet (Guardian critic John Fordham has described him as "the balletic young Derby vibraphonist"). A real favourite of Tyneside audiences since his first appearance here little more than two years ago, Corey has also been described as "an elemental driving force", but he is equally capable of great subtlety, and solo performance gives him the chance to display the whole of his imaginative range.
And at the end of the gig a multi-handed finale as the two players come together for a spontaneous duo performance that's certain to be nothing short of dazzling. I'm told that there could be snow tomorrow, but it's likely to get quite tropical at the Lit & Phil before the night is over.
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