Bebop Spoken There

Melissa Aldana: ''Having to play a ballads album, which is something very revealing for a saxophone player, would help me to question some new aspects of how to go deeper into sound." (DownBeat May, 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

18656 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 520 of them this year alone and, so far this month (June 25) 72

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

From This Moment On

June

Mon 29: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 30: Alan Law Trio @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free.
Tue 30: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

July

Wed 01: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 01: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 01: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 02: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 02: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Thu 02: De’Sean Jones & Blaque Dynamite feat. Urban Art Orchestra @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). De’Sean Jones (MD, tenor sax); Blaque Dynamite (Mike Mitchell, drums); Jamie Murray (drums) with UAO horns & strings.
Thu 02: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.
Thu 02: Howlin’ Mat @ Newcastle Arts centre. 7:30pm. Free. Acoustic

Fri 03: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 03: Paul Donnelly Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 03: Martin Taylor @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Taylor (solo guitar).

Sat 04: Spats Langham’s Hot Fingers @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 04: Michael Woods @ Cycle Hub, Quayside, Ouseburn. 1:30-2:30pm & 3:00-4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues guitar. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sat 04: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Take the ‘A’ Train to Summertime: From Melody to Masterclass. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 05: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 05: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Feat. guest TBC.
Sun 05: Michael Woods @ Cycle Hub, Quayside, Ouseburn. 1:30-2:30pm & 3:15-4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues guitar. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sun 05: Lydia Rae Quintet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Rae (vocals); Sam Lightwing (alto sax, tenor sax); Ben Lawrence (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Sun 05: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 05: Storytellers Street Band @ Ouseburn Woodland, Ouseburn. 5:00-6:00pm. Free. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sun 05: Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 05: Jambone @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:15-9:45pm. Free but ticketed.

Tuesday, April 08, 2014

Sheila Giles Photos added to archives.

More photos of the late Sheila Giles have been added to the archives courtesy of Margaret Barnes. A lot of them are short on info such as dates, venues and names. If anyone can help please do.
Here is the link to the album.
Lance.

8 comments :

Anonymous said...

Oh my, in the album linked above, second row down, photo on the right, this was taken in my club/restaurant, The Speakeasy in London, sometime between 1985/90. Sheila performed there a few times. She became a very good friend. Happy, happy days.

Lance said...

Please tell us more about your friendship with Sheila and the Speakeasy.

Joyce said...

Hi Lance. Well Sheila came in to my club one night for dinner with a friend and to listen to some jazz (pianist and singer). We got talking and she told me she 'used' to sing a bit, what an understatement that was, lol. After talking for a while, we agreed to meet up the next day and talk about her doing a gig, which we did. It was a complete sell out and Sheila was sensational, had the audience in the palm of her hands. She appeared a few more times and always went down a storm. We became close friends, even when I moved back to Edinburgh to bring up my family. Sadly we lost touch when she moved out of London, then back, then away again. I feel a real sadness that she's no longer with us. She was one of a kind.

Lance said...

Thanks Joyce, the Speakeasy Club must have been quite a place. Is this the same club that was once owned by the Kray Twins

Lance said...

Hi Joyce, speaking to Margaret Barnes, who provided some of the photos, she remembers Sheila talking about you and how good friends you were. She also thought that Dave Green and Mick Pyne were probably on the gigs that she did at the club.

Unknown said...

Do you have any recordings of Sheila's music. She was my Great Aunty (my Grandad's sister) and I can only remember meeting her once when I was 7 back in 1981. It has been amazing to see the old photos of her

Joyce said...

Hi Lance....She always had Mick Pyne and his musicians play for her at the club, fantastic guys. Mick has also sadly passed away. Helen, sorry I don't have any recordings of her, I wish I had. Xxxx

Joyce said...

Lance, Yes, Sheila always used Mick Pyne and his musicians for her gigs at the club. Fabulous musicians. Helen, sadly I don't have any recordings of Sheila singing, how I wish I did have. She was one of a kind.Not only an amazing singer, but a true entertainer. The stories that woman could tell!!

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