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

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Paul Gowland Quartet @ The Star Inn. May 15.

Paul Gowland (ten); Mike Papapavlou (gtr); Ray Truscott (bs); Lewis West (dms) + Kevin Eland (tpt); Dave Weisser (cor); Chris Finch (flug); Peter Ninnims (dms).
(Review by Lance)
Have You Met Miss Jones? was Paul Gowland's musical query. We knew the lady well - or so we thought!
Turns out she's a right little raver in the hands of Gowland, Mike P, Truscott and young West! They took her on a rollercoaster ride to Paradise and beyond. Later, they shared her for four bars at a time before taking her home - God knows what she told her mother!
Next up, Coltrane's Afro Blue. Everyone's heard of Coltrane's famous Sheets of Sound well let me tell you, these weren't sheets - they were 15 TOG duvets! Gowland went for the jugular on this one.
Michael Brecker's enigmatic Midnight Voyage, more restrained but still compelling listening, the oft played bossa Wave, a luxuriant What's New and finally Wayne Shorter's Black Nile brought the set to a close.
Mike P, as ever, displaying delightful dexterity throughout the set. When Mike departs to continue his studies in New York it will be a major loss to the local scene although we do, of course, wish him well. Mike can also be heard at Newcastle Uni tomorrow afternoon (Thursday May 16) at 5pm.
Six String Truscott on bass guitar laid the foundation - powerhouse underpinnings and imaginative solos - whilst yet another young drummer of talent has emerged in the form of Lewis West.
The second set featured the brass section! Kevin Eland took the roof off with a Fergie (Maynard) style blast on C Jam Blues, Dave Weisser added subtlety on cornet and Chris Finch played mellifluous flugel horn. Interwoven among it all PG gave them a few tips and Mike showed he is up for "The Apple".
Dave and Paul blew Willow Weep For me with Ninnims taking over on kit. Speak Low was a medium tempo swing and the final Au Privave (I think) saw the set nicely home and Chelsea beat Benfica 2-1 to complete a feelgood night.
Next week it's Ian Paterson's Slowlight Quartet.
Photos.
Lance.

No comments :

Blog Archive