Bebop Spoken There

Jools Holland (on his 2026 spring/summer tour): ''With the mighty [R&B] Orchestra, our wonderful boogie woogie singers, and the brilliant Joe Webb opening the shows [including Darlington Hippodrome, June 19], we're in for some very special evenings of music.'' The Northern Echo February 5, 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

18263 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 117 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Feb. 6), 17

From This Moment On ...

February

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.

Wed 11: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington.. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 11: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 12: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 13: Noel Dennis Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm . £9.00. Dennis (trumpet, flugelhorn); Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 13: Joe Steels @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 13: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm.
Fri 13: Tom Remon & John Moriarty @ The Ship Isis, Silksworth Row, Sunderland SR1 3QJ. 7:00pm. £10.00 + £1.00 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

Thursday, December 25, 2014

So how did you spend Xmas Day?

Usual, turkey, vino, Kiss Me Kate on TV (if only I hadn't seen the Keel/Grayson movie first!) digging into my back catalogue of CDs - Harold McNair's Flute & Nut (the best flute disc ever - plus some tasty alto). Another late great Jamaican, tenor player Bogey Gaynor's Blue Bogey. Laughing at the jokes in Nick Harris's Have You Heard The One About... enjoying reading Herbie Hancock's autobiography Possibilities whilst tucking into some Belgium chocolates and, I'm pleased to say, not wearing a Xmas jumper!
So how was it for you?
Lance.

6 comments :

Roly said...

Just the usual socialising, lazing around and eating too much but as regards jazz I have a CD playing in the car 'These Rooms' with Jim Hall & Tom Harrell. A lovely CD. On it is a ballad composed by Jim's wife Jane titled 'Something Tells Me' and its a gem.

Phil John Kelly (on f/b) said...

Bill Evans on CD. Made a curry, drank a lot of Cava, port, Old Speckled Hen. Jaques Loussier concert on You Tube. Yuletide Blessings, Lance

Russell said...

Made a curry, drank a bottle of wine (me, a beer drinker!), listened to some Stan Kenton, read Chris Barber's autobiography 'Jazz Me Blues', ate some chocolate...

Patti D. said...

Drank a demi bottle of champagne with son, Chris - while listening to Zoot Sims, Darlene Love, and John Grant. Opened pressies, cooked traditional turkey and stuff, more drinks then huge amounts of food. Sounds typical? I also went out for a half marathon run ..... do you believe me? It's always a magical time of the year for me.

Ann Alex said...

I spent Xmas day at my niece's house and heard no jazz at all, but did talk about One Direction with her 11 year old daughter! A lovely family day, rounded off with the 'The Hunger Games' an excellent film.

Liz said...

I spent the morning walking on the Sussex Downs with my son, his partner and their dogs( named Jazz and Blues) Then we came back & opened our presents. Champagne, turkey etc for the big meal in the afternoon with great surround sound music playing in every room. Evening watched Downton Abbey( having recorded "Kiss me Kate" for another time!

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