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

18061 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 1025 of them this year alone and, so far, 39 this month (Dec. 14).

From This Moment On ...

DECEMBER 2025

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.

Sun 21: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. ‘Xmas Swingalong’. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 21: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00-5:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ o2 City Hall, Newcastle. 6:00pm. £35.80., £33.25., £31.00.
Sun 21: The Globe Xmas Party @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Live music.
Sun 21: Tweed River Jazz Band @ The Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:30pm. Free.

Mon 22: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 23: Paul Skerritt @ Chakh Dhoom, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Indian restaurant. Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Wed 24: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 24: Alexia Gardner @ The Townhouse, Bridge St., Morpeth. 1:30-4:30pm. ‘The A Capella Sessions’. Gardner, Paula Gardner, Alexia Hope Gardner Diamany.
Wed 24: Paul Skerritt @ Mambo Wine & Dine, South Shields. 1:30pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Thu 25: Alexia Gardner @ The Townhouse, Bridge St., Morpeth. 1:30-4:00pm. ‘All About the Bass Sessions’. Alexia Gardner, Paula Gardner, Jude Murphy.

Fri 26: ???

Sat 27: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. CANCELLED!
Sat 27: Leeds City Stompers @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free.

Sun 28: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 28: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 28: Paul Skerritt @ 3 Stories, High St. West, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 28: The Society Quartet @ Hilton Garden Inn, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Jason Holcomb & co.

Mon 29: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 30: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £8.00., £7.00. adv.

Wed 31: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 31: Lil Miss Mary & the Mr Rights Trio @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. ‘Early NYE Bash’. Rockabilly, rhythm & blues.
Wed 31: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. ‘Midnight in Manhattan’ NYE party. £49.46 (inc. bf) & £29.38 (inc. bf).

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

Sunday, December 21, 2014

Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jazz Radio All the Way

(Preview by Russell)
Clare Teal (BBC Radio2, Sunday 21, 9:00pm) features…Clare Teal! Our programme host joins the BBC Big Band, conducted by Jiggs Whigham. Guest vocalists Matthew Ford and Mica Paris join Teal, as does blues guitarist Joanne Shaw Taylor. Radio 2 on Monday evening (10:00pm) presents Glenn Miller, 70 Years of Mystery. A wag may say it remains a mystery how Miller became hugely popular, however this programme, presented by Len Goodman, looks at the man’s music and, no doubt, disappearance. A marked contrast at 11:00pm over on Radio 3 is Jazz on 3. Jez Nelson and guests get to choose favourite releases of the year.
Christmas Eve could provide the highlight of your festive jazz listening – Leo Green: Ella and the Songbooks (Radio 2, 8:00pm). Leo Green selects music from Ella’s eight Songbook albums. Saturday 27 sees Jazz Record Requests in its regular slot (Radio 3, 5:00pm) followed at six o’clock by Jazz Line-Up. Claire Martin presents an in-concert recording of Alan Broadbent with the Mark Nightingale Big Band from Watermill Jazz, Dorking. At midnight on Radio 3 Geoffrey Smith’s Jazz looks at the work of the Basie Band (the first of two programmes). Jazz on 3 (Monday 29) repeats Loose Tubes’ sold-out concert at Ronnie Scott’s earlier this year. The band will be appearing at next year’s  Gateshead International Jazz Festival! Lenny Henry edits Today (Tuesday 30, Radio 4, 6:00am) and jazz will be one of his interests explored in between heavyweight political interviews. Later on Radio 3 (9:00pm) there is another chance to hear Laura Mvula’s late-night Prom in BBC Proms 2014.
New Year’s Day kicks-off Radio 2’s year long celebration of the music of Frank Sinatra (December 2015 marks the centenary of the birth of Ol’ Blue Eyes). At 5:00pm that well known jazzer Barry Manilow introduces some of Sinatra’s in-concert performances. The Beeb’s jazz output continues apace on Friday 2nd in Out of Armenia (Radio 4, 1:45pm). This final programme of five features a contribution from pianist Levon Malkhasyan. At 9:00pm, BBC Proms 2014 (Radio 3) revisits Paloma Faith’s Proms’ appearance with the 42-piece Guy Barker Jazz Orchestra.                    
Russell.

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