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, December 23, 2013

Gig/CD of the Year reminder.

As the year draws to a close and the gigs with them it seems that now is the time to reflect and make your choices of Gig of the Year or CD of the Year. I've made my choices known - let us know yours. I'm sure you've all listened to at least one CD and been to a gig or three so don't hang about.
Lance.

8 comments :

cptfinch said...

Trilok Gurtu, Paolo Fresu, Omar Sosa at the Sage was by far my favourite of the year Lance

Anonymous said...

The CD that I'm enjoying most isn't a new one but its new to me. Ed Bickert & Don Thompson 'At the Garden Party'. Its a gem and has some of the nicest lyrical/harmonic guitar playing I've ever heard. Amazing - he's like two guitar players at once. He has the ability to play nimbly yet drop off a chord (complete with inner voice movements) from any single note he happens to be on, yet sustaining the legato melody note on top. Jim Hall could do that too. Fantastic!
Been to a few very nice gigs and one I particularly enjoyed was Graeme Wilson's Quartet at L&P about 3 months back.
Roly

Kath Jobes said...

Hi Lance,

My gig of the year has to be the Lindsay Hannon Plus at the Sage Jazz Cafe... Just Superb, and my CD of the year has to be Zoe Gilby's Twelve Stories... again a really good compilation and a great addition to my collection. Have a great Christmas and a Happy New Year xx

Hugh Cochrane said...

Slightly expanding the territory - gig of the year: The Impossible Gentlemen at Zeffirelli's, Ambleside.
CD of the year: Internationally Recognised Aliens, by the same band.
(Hugh, the territory has no bounds - Lance)

John Taylor said...

My CD of the year (which I have really enjoyed over the festive period) is Clare Teals "Jing-jing-a-ling"
So stylistic & featuring many "Great American Xmas" tracks:-
http://www.jazzandjazz.com/2013/11/clare-teal-releases-jing-jing-a-ling/
Gig of the year has to be Martin Taylor & Martin Simpson at the Portland Ashington as part of Ashington Town Councils Music festival. Many thanks to Mick Slaughter & Stephen Humphrey from the Town Council for all the work organising it all. Initially they asked me for ideas for a national artist who would be suitable for the jazz element of the festival. My three suggestions were a choice between Stacey Kent, Clare Teal or Martin Taylor. I think they ended up with an ideal gig which cleverly crossed the jazz and folk genres

Ken Drew said...

Gigs of the Year
1. Marilyn Crispell & Raymond Mcdonald
2. Arun Ghosh
3_ Paul Dunmall
3_ Laura Jurd

stevebfc said...

Gigs of the Years
1. Arun Ghosh (The Sage)
2. Ollie Howell Quintet (The Bridge)
3. Courtney Pine (Hoochie Coochie)

Albums of the year
1.John Escreet - Sabotage and Celebration
2 World Service Project - Fire in the Pet Shop
3. Foreign Motion -In Flight

Steve H

Tony Eales said...

Hi Lance

Been on my travels again this year, here's my choices.

Gigs of the year

1. Igor Butman - Moscow Jazz Orchestra at Wigan Jazz Festival.

2. Bobby Shew & The La Big Band at the LA jazz festival.

3. Tommy Smith & The SNJO play Kenton at the Queens Hall Edinburgh

CD's

1. Igor Butman - Sheherazade Tales

2. Tommy Smith & The SNJO - In The Spirit of The Duke

3. Zoe Gilby - Twelve Stories

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