Bebop Spoken There

Donovan Haffner ('Best Newcomer' 2025 Parliamentary Jazz Awards): ''I got into jazz the first time I picked up a saxophone!" - Jazzwise Dec 25/Jan 26

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

18146 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 24 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 7), 24

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Fri 09: The House Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00.
Fri 09: Nauta @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Trio: Jacob Egglestone, Jamie Watkins, Bailey Rudd.
Fri 09: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Warren James & the Lonesome Travellers @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £15.00.
Fri 09: The Blue Kings @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £10.00. (£8.00. adv.). All-star band.

Sat 10: Mark Toomey Quintet @ St Peter’s Church, Stockton-on-Tees. 7:30pm. £12.00. (inc. pie & peas). Tickets from: 07749 255038.

Sun 11: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 12: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 12: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 13: Milne Glendinning Band @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00. Coquetdale Jazz.
Tue 13: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 14: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 14: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 15: Mark Toomey Quartet @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. Quartet + guest Paul Donnelly (guitar).

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

Friday, April 26, 2013

Katherine Stone Quartet/Jam Session - Star, Newcastle

Katherine Stone (vocals); Dean Stockdale (keys); Michael Robson ( bass guitar); Steve Doyle (drums)
(Review by Ann Alex)
This was a thoroughly enjoyable evening from a more than competent band and a singer with a rich, expressive voice and wonderfully clear diction.  The lady treated us to mostly standard material, sung with just the right amount of subtlety.  And as a bonus there were pleasant introductions to the songs, and then lots of encouragement for singers and players who wanted to be part of the jam session. 
 Besame Mucho opened the set, with the drummer using hands on the drums rather than sticks, and initiation for Michael Robson on guitar, as it was his first performance with the band.  Cheek To Cheek had some nifty work on keys, and My Heart belongs To Daddy gave us a wonderfully bombastic piano-concerto type ending, as suits an amusing song. After Spooky, quite a few romantic songs followed, Dance Me To The End Of Love; I Get A Kick Out Of You (cymbals and walking bass); The Way You Look Tonight; I Wish You Love.  Then came songs of freedom, with I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free; and Wade In The Water and even more freedom with a really swinging Route 66.  After The Road To Dreamland, the grateful audience demanded an encore, so we had a dose of That Old Black Magic.
Then came the jam which brought extra instrumentalists to the stage, in the form of Chris Finch on keys instead of Dean and John Rowland on tenor sax.  They joined the band to treat us to Cry Me A River and All The Things You Are.  Katherine was very encouraging to us singers who’d come from Lindsay Hannon’s Jazz singing class, so up we got.  It’s hard to comment on my own colleagues from the class, so let’s just say that we were well worth listening to! Jen Errington gave us Good Morning Heartache, I sang Bye Bye Blackbird, and Andria Moffett did No More Blues.  Lindsay herself rounded off a good night with Heaven, Dean back on keys and the band really letting rip.
Ann Alex

 




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