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

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

CD Reviews - Like Topsy...

LondonJazzNews  recently commented that 80% of discs sent get reviewed - that is some achievement. Up here the position is reversed inasmuch as 80% of discs sent don't get reviewed!
This a combination of available time and a shortage of willing hands - it were ever so.
My current order of preference for selecting discs are:
A) Local north east (UK) bands/artists.
B) British bands/artists.
C) Established international names.
D) Outstanding unknowns irrespective of where they hang out..
E) Ones that I absolutely love (This automatically replaces Cat. A/B/C/D)!
In the meantime, rather than ignore those discs that don't get reviewed, here is a list of just some of them with links to where they've been reviewed elsewhere.
Esben Brandt - Constants.
Larry Corban - The Corbanator.
Andrew Downing/Jim Lewis/David Occhipinti - Bristles.
Chelsey Green & The Green Project - The Green Room.
Tal Gur - Under Contractions.
Mark Lomax Trio - Isis & Osiris.
Terry Marshall - Arrival.
Mark Meadows - Something Good.
Adam Meckler Orchestra - When the Clouds Look Like This.
Alicia Olatuja - Timeless.
Outhead - Send this Sound to the King.
Jim Rattigan/Thomas Gould/Liam Noble - Triplicity.
Jefferson Rose Band - Feel Like Dancing.
Salsa De La Bahia  - Volume 2.
Donna Singer - Destiny.
Rotem Sivan Trio - For Emotional Use Only.
Jim Stranahan Little Big Band - Migration to Higher Ground.
Ken Thomson and Slow/Fast - Settle.
Ritmos Unidos.
Mike Walker Stuart McCallum - Beholden.
Jason Yeager Trio - Affirmation.
There are more to be added! However, the above list is not carved in cyberstone. Should any of the above bands be appearing at a venue twixt Tees and Tweed a review would most certainly be posted and, likewise, if any of the BSH team (or any of our  literate readers - that means you Joe Soap)  fancy putting digits to keyboard) get in touch.
Now where did I put that Buddy Bolden cylinder? - sorry it took so long Buddy...
Lance.

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