Bebop Spoken There

Jools Holland (on his 2026 spring/summer tour): ''With the mighty [R&B] Orchestra, our wonderful boogie woogie singers, and the brilliant Joe Webb opening the shows [including Darlington Hippodrome, June 19], we're in for some very special evenings of music.'' The Northern Echo February 5, 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

18263 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 117 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Feb. 6), 17

From This Moment On ...

February

Sat 07: The Big Easy @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 07: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30-3:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 07: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. St Thomas & Bésame Mucho. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 07: Side Cafe Oᴙkestar @ Café Under the Spire, Gateshead. 6:30pm. Table reservations: 0191 477 3970.
Sat 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 08: Swing Tyne @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12 noon (doors). Donations. Swing dance taster class (12:30pm) + Hot Club de Heaton (live performance). Non dancers welcome.
Sun 08: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 09: Mark Williams Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 09: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 10: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 11: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington.. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 11: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 12: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 13: Noel Dennis Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm . £9.00. Dennis (trumpet, flugelhorn); Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 13: Joe Steels @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 13: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm.
Fri 13: Tom Remon & John Moriarty @ The Ship Isis, Silksworth Row, Sunderland SR1 3QJ. 7:00pm. £10.00 + £1.00 bf.

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

Sunday, December 08, 2013

Keith Stephen's Hot Club Trio Featuring Caroline Irwin @ Ashington Jazz Club December 4.

Keith Stephen (Guitar), Roly Veitch (Guitar), Bruce Rollo (Bass), Caroline (Irwin) Stephen (Vocals)
(Review by Peter Sanderson).
The  December gathering of the faithful members at Ashington Jazz Club would not be the same without this combo. As the 2012 meeting was cancelled due to poor weather we had waited a long time for this evening. A good audience arrived and, to adopt a phrase from a pop song of the fifties, "Ooo what a night we had, such a night." 
Motherhood has obviously been a great experience for Caroline who took to the stage with an air of confidence and maturity. I would suggest the voice is different and more accomplished as she presented a number of lyrics with vigour and an assurance in her ability to entertain, surprise and delight her audience with a wide range of lyrics. The quality of the musicians who support her  does not go unnoticed  playing a major role in delivering each superb performance. Keith on lead guitar has such skill while the ever dependable and incomparable Roly Veitch is there driving the rhythm forward with ease. He also sings well in a sort of gentle Chet Baker style adding his own emotional feeling to the lyrics. What can you say about Bruce Rollo. His style reminds me of Slam Sterwart of B.G. Groups which I adored as a young Jazz enthusiast. How he achieves such movement is beyond me but his rare style is just brilliant. The Band put a smile on a happy audience which was what this evening was all about so near to Christmas.
PROGRAMME - Exactly Like You, Walking After Midnight, Bie Mir Bist du Schoen (you know that one -I do my best but not German), Django's Castle, Dinah, Autumn Leaves, Winter Wonderland, Dr. Jazz, Happy as the Day is Long. Minor Swing, Speak to me of Love, Red Hot Mama, Stars Fell on Alabama, Shine, Wonderful World, La Vie en Rose, China Boy, I Get the Blues When it Rains, Running Wild, and the encore Santa Baby.
On this the final AJC meet of the year may I thank all our members for their support in 2013. Without you we would not have a Jazz Club.
To all those wonderful musicians and bands who have travelled to our most Northerly Jazz Club and appeared on our stage we appreciate your making the journey. I hope you have a good working Christmas and may  2014 bring you many gigs. Good health and thank you from AJC.
A big thanks to The Elephant for allowing our Club to move forward . We thank you for your cooperation. Best Wishes.
Finally, we would like to show our gratitude to Lance Liddle and Bebop Spoken Here who have given AJC the publicity we need.
To all Jazz enthusiasts our there "Keep Jazzing". Thank John Taylor for making all this happen.
We take a break  now until our first meeting of the New Year .when Alter Ego will be our guests.  Wednesday February 5th.  at 8.00 p.m.  See  you there.
Peter S.

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