Bebop Spoken There

Ethan Hawke (starring as Lorenz Hart in Blue Moon): ''Larry [Lorenz] Hart would be so happy that his music and his words and his poetry are still alive.'' - The Northern Echo 27 November 2025

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

18000 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 964 of them this year alone and, so far, 73 this month (Nov. 24).

From This Moment On ...

DECEMBER 2025

Sat 06: Sarah Spencer’s Transatlantic Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 06: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Minor Swing. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 06: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 06: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £3.76 (inc. bf).
Sat 06: Kaberry Big Band @ The Seahorse, Whitley Bay. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £15.00. (inc. hot buffet). ‘Christmas 1945’. Kaberry Big Band, formerly Vermont Big Band.
Sat 06: Smokin’ Spitfires @ Platform 1, Bedlington. 7:30pm. £6.00. Rhythm & blues.
Sat 06: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00. Xmas Party with buffet.
Sat 06: The Jive Aces @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 8:00pm. £22.00., £20.00.
Sat 06: Brass Fiesta @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 10:30pm. Free.

Sun 07: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Feat. special guest Donna Hewitt (sax, clarinet).
Sun 07: Finn-Keeble Group @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 07: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 07: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 07: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free. Trio + Ruth Lambert.
Sun 07: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 07: Jason Isaacs Big Band @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 5:15pm (4:00pm doors). £21.50 (inc. bf).
Sun 07: Paul Skerritt @ 3 Stories, High St. West, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 07: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Support set from Play More Jazz! course participants. Note earlier start.

Mon 08: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 09: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm

Wed 10: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 10: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 10: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 10: Mike Lindup Jazz Trio @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £26.50 (inc. bf). Lindup, Yolanda Charles (bass), John Sam (drums).
Wed 10: Bold Big Band @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £12.00.

Thu 11: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: West Coast (cool ) / Wordsearch (cool) Cool Jazz or ‘Cold’, ‘Cool’, ‘Hot’, ‘Warm’ in the title or lyrics.
Thu 11: George Robinson @ Prohibition Bar, Albert Road, Middlesbrough TS1 2RU. 7:00pm (doors). £5.42 (inc. bf). Vienna’s Voice charity evening featuring ’15 year old singing sensation the ‘Redcar Crooner’ George Robinson’. Over 35s only.
Thu 11: Paul Skerritt @ Chakh Dhoom, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Indian restaurant. Skerritt w. back tapes.
Thu 11: Ransom Van @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Thu 11: Down for the Count Swing Orchestra @ Middlesbrough Town Hall. 7:30pm. £37.70 (inc. bf). ‘Swing into Xmas’.

Fri 12: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 12: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 12: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 12: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 12: Milne Glendinning Band @ Northumberland Club, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £15.00. ‘Xmas Soiree’.
Fri 12: A Jazzy Xmas @ St Cuthbert’s Centre, Crook. 7:30pm. £15.00. Paul Edis (MD, piano); Jo Harrop (vocals); Vasilis Xenopoulos (tenor sax, soprano sax); Matthew Forster (alto sax, clarinet); Sue Ferris (flute, piccolo); Graham Hardy (trumpet, flugelhorn); Jason Holcomb (trombone);Emma Fisk (violin); Andy Champion (double bass); Matt MacKellar (drums). SOLD OUT!
Fri 12: Tony Hadley: Xmas Big Band Tour 2025 @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm.
Fri 12: Alexia Gardner @ The New Ship Inn, Newbiggin-by-the-Sea. 8:00pm. Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy, Abbie Finn.
Fri 12: Jive Aces: Swingin’ Xmas Show @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 8:00pm.

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, August 14, 2013

Jazz at the National Centre for Early Music (NCEM), York

NCEM Box Office: 01904 658338, Web: www.ncem.co.uk
 Adriano Adewale and Benjamim Taubkin
Thursday 10 October 7.30pm
NCEM, St Margaret’s Church, Walmgate, York YO1 9TL
Brazilian pianist Taubkin has been making waves with his sensual mix of lush traditional arrangements laced with cutting edge technique and contemporary harmony. For this tour he has teamed up with exhilarating and innovative percussionist Adewale.Their work together revolves around the play of push and pull between two instruments, which are often considered the backbone of bossa nova.
Tickets: £12.00 (concessions £10.00; students £5.00)
Box Office: 01904 658338, Web: www.ncem.co.uk
Look Stranger
Ruth Culver and the Utter:Jazz Quartet
with special guest reader Sir Derek Jacobi
Thursday 17 October  7.30pm
NCEM, St Margaret’s Church, Walmgate, York YO1 9TL
To mark Britten’s Centenary, Utter:Jazz weave swing, samba, blues and grooves through their vibrant re-imaginings of Benjamin Britten’s WH Auden songs. Britten’s stunning harmonic soundscapes and Auden’s passionate and political lyrics are refracted through many diverse influences of contemporary jazz in these intriguing and entertaining new arrangements. In between songs are readings of WH Auden’s poetry by Sir Derek Jacobi.
Tickets: £17.00 (concessions £15.00)
Box Office: 01904 658338, Web: www.ncem.co.uk
Rafiki Jazz
Declaration Kriol
Friday 18 October  7.30pm
NCEM, St Margaret’s Church, Walmgate, York YO1 9TL
Promising an extravagant blitz of dancing cross-continental world music wizardry, this project brings an expanded Rafiki Jazz ensemble, presenting an inspired collaborative show where global folk heritage traditions come up against the digital domain and our own very British babble of migrated languages. Rafiki Jazz return to the NCEM to showcase vibrant new music from their new album. 
Tickets: £12.00 (concessions £10.00; students £5.00)
Box Office: 01904 658338, Web: www.ncem.co.uk
The Cobra Club
Featuring York Musicians and Dancers
Saturday 26 October 3.00pm
NCEM, St Margaret’s Church, Walmgate, York YO1 9TL
Join Snake Davis and students from Burnholme Community College and Joseph Rowntree Secondary
School for a showcase extravaganza to mark the end of a 6-week jazz project run by Music4U and the NCEM. Helped by musician Sue Williamson and newly graduated Leeds College of Music students the newly formed band has learnt some of Snake’s material, jazz, pop and soul standards and also have written their own songs. Music lovers, Snake fans, family and friends are all welcome.
Tickets: £3.00 (concessions £2.00)
Box Office: 01904 658338, Web: www.ncem.co.uk  
 Snake Davis Band
Snake Davis saxophone, flute, shakuhach, whistle
Paul Birchall keyboards
Ali Thynne drums
Simon Goulding bass
Saturday 26 October 7.30pm
NCEM, St Margaret’s Church, Walmgate, York YO1 9TL
Top British soul, jazz and funk saxophonist Snake Davis will be showcasing the brand new ‘Missing You’ CD. Snake the ‘sax man’ is widely known for his solos on tracks such as Lisa Stansfield’s ‘Change’, M-Peoples ‘Search For A Hero’ and ‘Moving On Up’ and Take That’s ‘A Million Love Songs’. A highly talented player, he is also a musical director, a writer, an arranger, band leader and sought after for his work in education.
Tickets: £17.00 (concessions £15.00)
Box Office: 01904 658338, Web: www.ncem.co.uk
Jamil Sheriff Trio
Friday 8 November 7.30pm
NCEM, St Margaret’s Church, Walmgate, York YO1 9TL
Featuring Dave Walsh drums and Peter Turner double bass, this will be a real treat for anyone who loves the jazz piano trio. The group has a very original sound and their playful approach and joyous interplay is the perfect backdrop for a set of original, contemporary repertoire.
Tickets: £12.00 (concessions £10.00; students £5.00)
Box Office: 01904 658338, Web: www.ncem.co.uk
Saxophone Giants: A Tribute to Jazz’s Greatest Saxophonists
Jean Toussaint saxophones Keith Loftis saxophones
Reuben James piano Dave Hamblett drums
Mark Lewandowski double bass
Sunday 1 December  7.30pm
NCEM, St Margaret’s Church, Walmgate, York YO1 9TL
Keith Loftis, American tenor player makes his UK debut with Saxophone Giants. He will be joined by tenor player, Jean Toussaint and the Reuben James Trio. This will be their first tour since the late, great Wilson passed away suddenly in June 2012. Through some of the 20th century’s most celebrated saxophonists Loftis and Toussaint will blow you away with their clarity of tone, honesty and passion.
Tickets: £15.00 (concessions £13.00; students £5.00)
Box Office: 01904 658338, Web: www.ncem.co.uk
Bethan Thomas
Box Office Manager
National Centre for Early Music
St Margaret’s Church
Walmgate
York
YO1 9TL
Tel: 01904 658338
Fax: 01904 612631
Twitter: @yorkearlymusic



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