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: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. St Thomas & Bésame Mucho. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 07: Side Cafe Oᴙkestar @ Café Under the Spire, Gateshead. 6:30pm. Table reservations: 0191 477 3970.
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

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Jam Session @ Jazz Café - November 18.

Peter Gilligan (pno); Paul Grainger (bs); Paul Wight (dms); Bradley Johnston (gtr) + Paul Gowland (alt); Yuya Honami (dms); Kath Jobes, Ann Alex (vcl); ? (fl).
(Review by Lance).
The students were out in force tonight. Noisy, boisterous, but, nevertheless, adding a welcoming ambience that surely served to draw the passing stranger inside. Nothing more forbidding to the curious than the sepulchral silences that pervade at some gigs.
Johnny Mandel's Emily set the scene. Cool and relaxed in 3, the 4 on stage gave a 5 star performance and this was but the beginning. Mancini's Two For the Road didn't raise the game but it didn't lower it either.
Bouncing With Bud [Powell] would surely have met with the composers approval as Gilligan gave the venue's recently acquired electric piano a workout it won't forget in a hurry. Things Ain't What They Used To Be and Willow Weep For Me had Bradley laying down some nice guitar licks alongside the pianistics with two of the three Pauls providing the sympathy and support.
The third Paul [Gowland] joined the jam as did a Japanese student [English and Maths] on drums.
Scrapple From The Apple was the test piece and Yuya Honami graduated with Honours. The crispest brushwork this side of Chico Hamilton. As for Paul III he too was on fire with some blistering alto on Scrapple, marginally more restrained on Autumn in New York, before re-fanning the flames on Blues For Alice.
Honami, as befits a student of Maths, had no trouble handling the 3/4 time of Jim Hall's delightful Waltz New - let's hope he hangs around town for a while.
Two of the BSH ladies seized control of the mic. First up was Kath Jobes who sang Autumn Leaves with an unknown flautist who stayed on board for Ann Alex (On Green Dolphin St & Secret Love). Tivoli saw Gowland return to the fray where he truly let fly on Have You Met Miss Jones and How High the Moon/Ornithology. Needless to say, Gilligan was with him every step of the way, The satisfied smile on Grainger's face confirmed that the recipe was being cooked to perfection whilst Wight, no doubt inspired by young Yuya, ensured that this perilous Lunar Mission landed safely.
The bad news is that the specially brewed Geordie Jazz Ale is no longer, yours truly drunk the last bottle.
RIP Geordie Jazz - I knew you well.
Lance.

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