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

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Jam Session @ Jazz Café, Newcastle February 18

(Collective) Peter Gilligan (pno); Paul Grainger (bs); Paul Wight (dms); James Harrison (pno); James Carmichael (dms); Elliott Todd (tpt); Paul Gowland (ten/alt); Paul Ruddick (alt); Ian Forbes (dms); Ray Burns (vcl/hca); Joe Fowler (tmb); Kathryn Lowdon, Claire Kelly (vcl); Anth Ord (bs) + .....
The second of the fortnightly jams hosted by Peter Gilligan and co was another successful evening with some excellent instrumentals and vocals.
Too many to describe in detail suffice to say that nobody that I heard disappointed and there were more to come after I left - apologies for not hanging around for the grand finale even though our own Kath Jobes, James Robson, Belinda Voshtina and several others were "waiting in the wings". No doubt their moment came as I was boarding the number 27.
Peter, Paul and Paul (Mary couldn't make it) started things Bouncing with Bud, later James Harrison sat in for Cantaloupe and So What with James Carmichael on drums and Elliott Todd on trumpet. We'll be hearing a lot more of these two young guys in the future, I'm sure. Are they Jambone graduates I wonder? Ian Forbes, who graduated before graduation was invented, sat in and displayed his flawless technique - not without a touch of humour!
Kathryn Lowdon followed up Fine and Mellow with God Bless the Child.. This gal can holler the blues like as if she was born in downtown Kansas City. Big Joe Fowler blew trombone on this one - despite an altercation with a lamp shade suspended from the ceiling - they don't call him Big Joe because he isn't, he is! Ray Burns sang and played Sweet Lorraine. Elegantly attired, as is his trademark, Ray never fails to hit the spot. Paul Gowland blew some equally elegant alto. He later switched to tenor when the Ruddick Paul arrived with alto and the two horns riffed behind Claire Kelly who had a couple of bites at the cherry with Is You Is or Is you Ain't my Baby? and, later, Ain't Nobody's Business if I do. Sounded good. The Gowland Paul blew Darn That Dream on tenor and despite some reed problems he was on the money. Caravan had 4 Pauls (see pic.) and a Peter aboard including 3 PGs!
I've missed a whole lot of happenings out so get back in two weeks time to catch up - you won't regret it.
Photos.
Lance.

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