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

Sunday, May 26, 2013

Claire Martin, Joe Stilgoe, Mark McGann, Northern Sinfonia Pay Tribute to Lennon and McCartney @ Sage Gateshead.

Northern Sinfonia; Claire Martin: Joe Stilgoe; Mark McGann.
In my defence, your 'onour, every gig I've ever  been to in 'all One began at 7:30pm. Them as is in 'all Two do their thing at 8pm. So, tonight, my old mucker Andy 'udson and me strolled down to Sage Gateshead with an independent air only to have our sanguineti desanguetinesed when we were informed the concert had begun at 7pm!
7pm! I know folk who aren't even out of bed at that hour! But, c'est la vie. 
I don't know what we missed but what we didn't miss was good.
Mark McGann (famous Liverpool background) sang I Should Have Known Better and few could have sung it  better! Stilgoe did one of the best Beatle tunes - Here There and Everywhere. That is class!
Claire Martin - and she was the big attraction for me - did a beautiful and emotive version of A Ticket to Ride. - I'd have bought a ticket for that trip! Yesterday had Claire making me wish I'd met her Yesterday!
The set finished with all three singing All You Need Is Love which, upon reflection, is about right!
The Northern Sinfonia were as professional as they always are but the silky smooth string section were sheer perfection. By comparison, the brass read the parts but didn't quite achieve the empathy that the strings did.
Second set - Claire's reading of Eleanor Rigby was possibly the highlight of this set although the magnificent line from Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds - the girl with kaleidoscope eyes - reminded us that these two scousers were songwriters to be ranked alongside the best.
Claire's Fool on the Hill rubber stamped their credentials.
It was a good concert - no jazz but I didn't expect any. Loved Claire, Joe I'd like to catch on a piano/vocal jazz gig. McGann - love to meet his tailor!
Lance.

2 comments :

Anonymous said...

The first song you list says it all really - Check your tickets!!

It's really annoying when audience members pile out of the pub and saunter into a Sage gig late. The Sage seem to be on top of this now and at least limit late entrants to a gap in the performance.

Lance said...

I couldn't agree more! I should have checked the times. The last thing I wanted was to not see the whole show.

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