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

18621 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 485 of them this year alone and, so far this month (June 14) 37

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

Tue 23: Alan Law Trio @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free.
Tue 23: Jude Murphy & Dan Stanley @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 24: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 24: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 24: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 25: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 25: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: Forgotten Ones & Any Quintets.
Thu 25: Edgar Ho Trio @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free. Brilliant alto sax, piano & double bass trio. Unmissable!
Thu 25: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Fri 26: Finn-Keeble Group @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £9:00.
Fri 26: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 26: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 26: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 26: Clark Tracey @ Live Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Newcastle Jazz Festival. £26.00. Day 1/2.

Sat 27: OUTRI @ Live Theatre, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £13.01. 1:00-1:45pm. Newcastle Jazz Festival. Day 2/2.
Sat 27: House of the Black Gardenia + Magpies of Swing @ The Cumberland Arms, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sat 27: Mark Toomey Quartet @ Live Theatre, Newcastle. 2:15-3:15pm. £13.01. Newcastle Jazz Festival. Day 2/2.
Sat 27: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Live Theatre, Newcastle. 3:45-4:45pm. £13.01. Newcastle Jazz Festival. Day 2/2.
Sat 27: Rory Ingham @ Live Theatre, Newcastle. 5:30-6:30pm. £19.51. Newcastle Jazz Festival. Day 2/2. Ingham w. Dean Stockdale, Ian Paterson, Dave McKeague.
Sat 27: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 27: Laura Jurd @ Live Theatre, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £26.00. Newcastle Jazz Festival. Day 2/2. Sat 27: Brass Fiesta @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 10:30pm. Free.

Sun 28: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 28: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 28: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 28: Tim Kliphuis Trio @ St Mary’s Church, Wooler. 3:00pm. £18.00., £6.00. A Wooler Arts Summer Concerts event. Tim Kliphuis (violin); Nigel Clark (guitar); Roy Percy (double bass).
Sun 28: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 28: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 28: An Evening of Jazz @ St James’ Church, Copper Chare, Morpeth. 7:30pm. Tickets: £10.00 from 01670 788869 or 01670 519923. Mid Northumberland Chorus (MD Robin Forbes, Emma Straughan, piano) w. jazz trio featuring Edgar Ho, Oscar Ho & Dave McKeague & special guest Emily Masser. Performance inc. Bob Chilcott’s A Little Jazz Mass + George Shearing’s Songs & Sonnets.
Sun 28: Led Bib @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £15.00., £12.00. JNE.

Mon 29: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Wednesday, May 01, 2013

Local Singer Tragically Killed

This is just too tragic for words.
Well known as a singer at Lindsay Hannon's jazz singing class at the Sage, Heather was also a regular performer at the Chilli and the Star and showed great potential.
Lance.

9 comments :

Michael Howard and Blue Jazz Quintet (on F/b) said...

We'll always remember you and your singing with us Heather.

Lance said...

Many more comments on our network F/b post.

Michael Papapavlou said...

What a tragic loss, she was such a very nice, warm woman, she will always be remembered and missed.

Andria Moffatt said...

My memories of you are as a new friend, made through the Blue/Jazz group, & we hit it off from the time you joined. You were a good listener when I needed a moan, & we talked often, & I still have the cd, (thanks to Gabrielle), of the time we sang on the Sage concourse that Jazz weekend. We had a great time. You will be a great miss Heather, by everyone who knew you. Memories never die. Gone too soon. God Bless you. xx

Anonymous said...

I still can't believe this and can hardly bear to think about it. Heather was a lovely warm person who gave me lifts to the metro and was interesting to talk to, and such a promising singer. She won't ever be forgotten by the Blue Jazz Voices.
Ann Alexander

Jennifer Errington said...

Can't get my head around the fact that we won't see Heather again. I also knew her through BJV and we went to a number of jazz events together. Last one was Courtney Pine at Hoochie Coochie. I can still see her lovely radiant smile, having a great time and enjoying being with friends. She had so much to live for. So very sad.
Jenx

Tess and Alice (on F/b) said...

Hi, I saw your name in the Chronicle article, which is how I have found this page. I hope that is okay. We sang with Heather for a short while with Newcastle Choral society. She joined our little "gang" in the back row and we'd go out/get together from time to time, after she moved on from the choir. What a smiley and friendly person she was....We are all so shocked and upset to hear of what has happened. We would be so grateful if anyone could share information about Heather's funeral or any memorial as and when it is arranged, as we are not in touch with any of her other friends. Many thanks, Tess King (with Alice Bosomworth)

Joan said...

Like everyone who met Heather I will miss her happy smiling face. I will also miss our long telephone and email conversations, her vibrant and intelligent contributions to Pink Lane Jazz Co-op and sharing her love for singing and listening to Jazz. I will always remember this beautiful serene and thoughtful woman. I will never understand how someone whose motto when dealing with disagreements was "to smile sweetly and nod" met such a violent end. May you children always be kept happy and safe. Love and peace be with you my friend.

Anonymous said...

Heather's memorial service is being held at 3pm on Tuesday 21st May 2013 at All Saints Church, Gosforth. I am sure it will be well attended as we all want to show our respect for Heather and her lovely children.

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