Bebop Spoken There

Christian McBride: ''I believe we are living in a historically embarrassing moment in American history.'' - Downbeat December 2025

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

18035 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 999 of them this year alone and, so far, 13 this month (Dec. 7).

From This Moment On ...

DECEMBER 2025

Sun 14: Musicians Unlimited + Darlington Big Band @ West Hartlepool RFC. 12 noon-6:00pm. £9.00. Musicians Unlimited’s Xmas Party. SOLD OUT!
Sun 14: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 14: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 14: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 14: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The White Room, Stanley. 6:30pm. £15.18 (inc. bf).
Sun 14: Paul Skerritt @ The Black Candle, South Shields. 6:30pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 14: Sean Noonan Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. JNE.

Mon 15: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 16: Paul Skerritt @ Chakh Dhoom, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Indian restaurant. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Tue 16: A Jazzy Xmas @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm. Paul Edis (MD, piano); Jo Harrop (vocals); Kyran Matthews (tenor sax, soprano sax); Faye Thompson (alto sax, clarinet); Sue Ferris (flute, piccolo); Graham Hardy (trumpet, flugelhorn); Jason Holcomb (trombone);Emma Fisk (violin); Andy Champion (double bass); Matt MacKellar (drums).
Tue 16: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, Tim Johnston.

Wed 17: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Spanish City, Whitley Bay. 12 noon. £29.00 (inc. bf). ‘Festive Lunch’. VCJ on stage 12 noon (three sets 'til 4:00pm).
Wed 17: Lazy River Band @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. Veronica Perrin, Chris Perrin, John Farragher, Phil Rutherford
Wed 17: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 17: Paul Skerritt @ Middlesbrough Town Hall. 7:00pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Wed 17: A Jazzy Xmas @ Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm. Paul Edis (MD, piano); Jo Harrop (vocals); Kyran Matthews (tenor sax, soprano sax); Faye Thompson (alto sax, clarinet); Sue Ferris (flute, piccolo); Graham Hardy (trumpet, flugelhorn); Jason Holcomb (trombone);Emma Fisk (violin); Andy Champion (double bass); Matt MacKellar (drums).
Wed 17: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 18: Paul Skerritt @ YOLO, Ponteland. 7:00pm. ‘Swing & Jazz Night’. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Thu 18: Joe Steels & Friends @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:30pm. Free (donations).

Fri 19: Fraser Urquhart @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT! .
Fri 19: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free..
Fri 19: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free..
Fri 19: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00..
Fri 19: Castillo Nuevo @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:00pm. Free. .
Fri 19: Alexia Gardner @ FIKA Art Gallery, Morpeth. 6:30pm. Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy..
Fri 19: Paul Skerritt @ Middlesbrough Town Hall. 7:00pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes. .
Fri 19: Giles Strong Quartet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club..
Fri 19: Creakin’ Bones & the Xmas Dinners @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £13.01 (inc. bf)..
Fri 19: Mark Toomey Quintet @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.

Sat 20: Jazz Attack @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 11:00am. Free.
Sat 20: Alexia Gardner @ FIKA Art Gallery, Morpeth. 6:30pm. Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy. SOLD OUT!
Sat 20: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. CANCELLED!
Sat 20: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 20: Hoodoo Blues @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:15pm (doors). £14.25, £11.55. Dance class, social dancing, live music & Xmas Party. Live music from 9:00pm - Ruth Lambert, Giles Strong, Ian Paterson & John Bradford (jazz and blues).
Sat 20: John Pope Quintet @ Blank Studios, Newcastle. 7:30-8:30pm. £7.70 (inc. bf). Album recording session.

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, April 12, 2014

Jazz Café May Program.

Jazz Café phone 0191 2229882 25-27 Pink Lane near the Central Station
Open from 11am daily as a Cafe, closed Sun and Mondays. Fridays and Saturday  - admission free up to 9.00pm*, Live from 9.30pm - 11.30pm admission for most events £5 on the door, *Except Schmazz 
Full programme at   www.jazzcafe-newcastle.co.uk
May Listings
Friday 2nd May 9.30pm - The Mo Scott Band  £5.00
Welcome back to Mo Scott  this time in blues mode and backed by what must be one of
the tastiest bands on the circuit. Together they explore the whole world of the blues - all
the way from Robert Johnson to Ray Charles
Mo Scott vocals / Gary Dunn guitar / Neil Harland bass / Paul Smith drums 
Tuesday 6th May Tuesday Jam – Free
Resident rhythm section : Peter Gilligan piano, Paul Grainger double bass and Paul Wight drums. Now running on the first and third Tuesdays of each month. Bring your Instrument and play or just listen. Free admission.
Friday 9th May Paul Edis Trio £5.00
Our resident piano trio make their regular second-Friday-in-the-month appearance and demonstrate once again their consummate skills.
Paul Edis piano / Mick Shoulder double bass / Adam Sinclair drums
Saturday 10th May French Jazz Night £5.00
8.30pm Shamans Jazz Quartet from Mitry Mory in the North of Paris mix original jazz pieces by their leader Chris Bonno  with their take on French popular songs (Brassens, Aznavour, Legrand) all based on the Afro-Caribbean rhythms of their Haitian pianist and drummer. Christian Bonno bass guitar / Claire Kahn vocals, violin, saxes / Amos Joseph piano / Fito Pierre drums
9.30pm Gypsies of Bohemia  
While drawing inspiration from the legendary French jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt, the band put their own unique, Mancunian spin on hits by Britney Spears, Blondie, Girls Aloud and even Iron Maiden. Gypsy jazz meets modern pop.  
Jim Wallace guitar / Matthew Whitaker guitar & vocals / Frank Grime double bass / Sam Draper drums
THE LATE LATE SHOWS
SATURDAY 17 MAY 11PM – until late
THE Lindsay Hannon Pluss £5.00 (£4.00 GLOW STICK HOLDERS)
For our contribution to this year’s Late Late Shows we’re delighted to welcome back to the Jazz Café one of the most dynamic jazz singers on the North East scene, Lindsay Hannon with her band the Plus. Rooted in the improvisational tradition of jazz their sound moves from raucous barrel house blues and tight swing to sensitive ballads, 
Cole Porter, Tom Waites, Joni Mitchell, Herbie Hancock, George Gershwin, The Doors, Amy Winehouse and to original tunes all interpreted and arranged to highlight the individuality of four excellent musicians. Good news for fans of The Plus : their debut CD “The Spy” is due out in the Spring. Watch Lindsay’s website for details : www. lhplus
THE PLUS WILL BE PERFORMING IN OUR NEW UPSTAIRS ROOM, 
WHILE DOWNSTAIRS WE PRESENT :
Dean Stockdale solo piano 9.30pm
A familiar face on the Northeast scene, Dean cites as his influences Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans and Kenny Barron and has studied with renowned British jazz pianists Keith Tippett and David Newton.
Tuesday 20th Tuesday Jam - 8pm –Free
Resident rhythm section : Peter Gilligan piano, Paul Grainger double bass and Paul Wight drums. Now running on the first and third Tuesdays of each month. Bring your Instrument and play or just listen. Free admission.
Friday 23 May 9.30pm - Peter Gilligan Quartet £5.00
Two prominent members of the Tyneside scene, Jazz Café stalwarts Peter Gilligan and Mark Williams come together to celebrate the contribution to the world of jazz of pianists Oscar Peterson and Bill Evans and guitarists Joe Pass and Jim Hall. 
Plus original tunes by Mark Williams. Peter Gilligan piano / Mark Williams guitar / Paul Grainger double bass / Tim Johnsone
Wednesday 28th May 8.00pm 
Schmazz @ the Jazz Café present the Charlotte Glasson Group
£8.00 & £6.00 concessions at the door.
A fine demonstration of how jazz can be both enormously entertaining while still packed with musical creativity.
Charlotte Glasson (saxophones, flutes, violin, saw); Mark Bassey (trombone); Chris Spedding (guitar); Mick Hutton (bass & steel pans); Sam Glasson (drums)
Friday 30 May 9.30pm - NE4 £5.00
Ray Truscott’s dynamic jazz fusion quartet, NE4, returns with a new piano
player and yet more new original material by the leader. “The audience wanted more” said Bebop Spoken Here of an earlier gig.
Ray Truscott six string electric bass / Paul Gowland tenor sax / Dean Stockdale piano / Paul Wight drums
Jazz Café   25-27 Pink Lane near the Central Station. Tel: 0191 2229882    

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