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

18246 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 100 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 31), 100

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

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.

Fri 06: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 06: Durham Alumni Big Band & Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn Theatre. 7:30pm. £12.00. Two big bands on stage together!
Fri 06: Nauta + Littlewood Trio @ Little Buildings, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Double bill + jam session.
Fri 06: FILM: Made in America @ Star & Shadow Cinema, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Ornette Coleman.
Fri 06: Deep Six Blues @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm.

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: 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.

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

Saturday, December 14, 2013

Seven Jazz Leeds springs into action!

Lots of international stars, and lots of talented Yorkshire bands to see at Seven Jazz’s two venues, Seven Arts and Inkwell Arts in Chapel Allerton in early 2014. 
Firstly, award-winning jazz alto saxophonist and hip hop star Soweto Kinch celebrates the release of his studio double album titled ‘The Legend of Mike Smith’ - the tale of a young MC caught in a very modern world of temptation on January 23 at Seven Arts. Then Canadian Trumpeter Jay Phelps has put together a wonderful Transatlantic sextet to perform the music of Miles Davis in his “Projection of Miles” concert for February 20.  

Leeds based jazz singer Louise Gibbs premiers her new “Seven Deadly Sings” on March 6, a jazz song cycle scored for voice and septet and a star line up of international musicians such as Tony Kofi, Tim Whitehead and Quentin Collins and then the same month on March 20 Jean Toussaint – former sax playing member of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers – returns to Seven Arts leading his own quartet.
Australian tenor sax star Brandon Allen, with his exciting new quartet, is there on April 3 and finally, just before Easter on April 10, the superb duo of saxman Tommy Smith and pianist Brian Kellock make it down from Scotland – just before they close the border!
The funky Sunday afternoons provide good entertainment and good value too with some wonderful new Leeds based bands including bassist Simon Read’s Octet, saxman Robin Porter’s Quartet, fresh from this year’s Proms, the piano trios of Jami Sheriff and Declan Forde, guitarists Jamie Taylor and Gary Boyle, saxman Will Howard’s double drum Quintet, and from London the wonderful young trumpet star Laura Jurd.
To get jazz fans in the mood for Le Grand Depart from Leeds we have a couple of groups that recreate the music of Stephane Grappelli and Django Reinhardt – Ben Lowman’s Django Project and Matt Holborn’s Gypsy Jazz Quartet. And for those who like jazz singers we have welcome returns by Kate Peters and Kevin James!
All this to see and enjoy then.  But if you want to join in too, then there is the highly successful Seven Jazz workshop, improvisation group, the Seven Jazz Voices Choir and the Spring Jazz Café and Jam Session on March 30th!
To find out more – check our website www.sevenjazz.co.uk, or follow us on 

Steve Crocker, Seven Jazz Leeds. 11/12/13

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