Bebop Spoken There

Emma Rawicz: "In a couple of years I've gone from being a normal university student to suddenly being on international stages." DownBeat January 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

18219 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 73 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 24), 73

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Fri 30: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 30: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 30: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 30: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 30: Pete Roth Trio @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Feat. Bill Bruford.
Fri 30: Jive Aces @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm.
Fri 30: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Northern Edge Coffee, Silver St., Berwick. 7:00pm.
Fri 30: Dan Coulthurst Quintet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £10.00 + £1.00. bf (www.wegottickets.com). Coulthurst (trumpet); Joel Steadman (bass clarinet, flute); Nico Widdowson (piano); Fergus Quill (double bass); Theo Goss (drums).

Sat 31: Darling Dollies @ St George’s Church, Jesmond, Newcastle. 3:00pm. £10.00. Vocal trio.
Sat 31: Brass Fiesta @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 10:30pm. Free.

FEBRUARY 2026

Sun 01: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 01: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Quintet + guest Bill Watson (trumpet, flugelhorn).
Sun 01: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: Annie & the Caldwells @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £25.00. adv. Gospel/soul.
Sun 01: Jive Aces @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm.
Sun 01: Olly Styles Experience + Jenny Baker @ the Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 02: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 02: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 03: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 03: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 04: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 04: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 05: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject:Times of the Day & Trios.
Thu 05: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Special guest Emma Wilson.
Thu 05: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

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

Monday, September 16, 2013

Katherine Stone Quartet @ The Cherry Tree, Jesmond.

Katherine Stone (vcl); Dean Stockdale (pno); Paul Grainger (bs); Steve Doyle (dms).
(Review by Lance.)
The singer, the band and the chef were on form tonight.
The trio kicked things off with Lady Be Good (or maybe that was just a soundcheck as they reprised it in the second set. It was good both times and I'd happily have reprised my starter - Craster crab salad, avocado, chicory and pomelo.
Ms Stone took to the stage and gave us a choice selection of tried and tested Gasbook fayre including Fly Me To The Moon, Sway, Let There be Love, I Get a Kick Out of You and My Baby Just Cares For me. The Nina Simone piece has long been a favourite of mine - it's timeless, or at least it would be if singers updated the lyric. It's 2013 and we're still singing about Liz Taylor, Lana Turner and Liberace! It wouldn't take the genius of a Cole Porter to update the lyric to something more topical. This isn't aimed at Katherine Stone, it's aimed at everyone who sings it!
The Way You Look Tonight done as a bossa nova, Get Happy, Blue Moon, I Wish You Love, Smile and They Can't Take That Away From me. rounded off the first set and was the perfect accompaniment to Pan Fried Sea Bass with Thai flavours and fragrant rice. My mouth is still watering at the memory.
During the break I indulged in an Eton Mess in a brandy snap cup. Shangri-la!
The trio returned for a Tatumesque All the Things You Are and the second bite at Lady Be Good. Stockdale is one fine pianist, Doyle's brushwork crisp and unobtrusive, Grainger, the unassuming player of the right notes in the right order, a tower of strength.
Katherine Stone returned for a slightly more contemporary set. It must have been contemporary because I didn't recognise all of them. Moondance, I Just Want to Make Love to You, Dindi were the ones I did identify along with I've Got You Under my Skin and Time to Hit the Road to Dreamland by which time it was time for me to catch the 33a and link up with the 27 which I did with a couple of minutes to spare. An enjoyable evening both artistically and gastronomically..
Lance.

1 comment :

Brenda Jenki Sokell said...

I do alternative words for My Baby Just Cares for Me. For instance; George Clooney is not his style and even Julia Roberts Smile!

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