Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: ''It was then that Coltrane came along and single-handedly brought this dimension of spirituality into jazz. It was a pivotal experience to me.'' (DownBeat September, 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

18982 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 846 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Oct. 8.) 25.

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

October.

Fri 09: Dean Stockdale Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. Dean Stockdale (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Fri 09: John Rowland Trio @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle.

Sat 10: Catfish Keith @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £19.00. + bf. Jumpin’ Hot Club.

Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free. Feat. guest Jack ‘Banjo’ Courtney (trumpet).
Sun 11: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Harry Christelis Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A Jazz Co-op-JNE co-promotion.

Mon 12: Jack Pearce Quintet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 12: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 13: Alan Law @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free. Alan Law (piano) w. Julija Jacenaite (vocals).

Wed 14: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: A Night of Stevie Wonder @ Holy GrAle, Durham. 4:45pm. £3.00.; £2.50. A Durham University Jazz Society event.
Wed 14: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 14: Jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 14: A Night of Stevie Wonder @ Holy GrAle, Durham. 7:30pm. £3.00.; £2.50. A Durham University Jazz Society event.
Wed 14: NW FRQNC @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £15.00. Selina Albright, Gianni Vancini.
Wed 14: Jacob Egglestone Trio @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.

Thu 15: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 15: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 15: Leah Kirk: A Strange Affair @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free (donations). Leah Kirk (vocals); Alan Law (keyboards); Paul Grainger (double bass).
Thu 15: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. PJO w. guest Graham Hardy (trumpet).

Monday, December 15, 2014

Splinter Jam Session @ The Bridge. Dec. 14.

Alan Law (pno); John Pope (bs); Jonathan Marriott (dms) + Zoë Gilby (vcl); Matt Müller (pno); Andy Champion (bs).
(Review by Lance/photos courtesy of Ken Drew).
Zoë had been scheduled to sing at a Whitley Bay eaterie but fortunately, for us, unfortunately for her, the gig was cancelled at the last minute so we had a top class chanteuse to compensate for the minimal number of jammers present.
After a couple of impressive Alan Law originals, one of which - a jazz waltz - contained a piano solo to die for, Mrs Champion gave out with Bye Bye Blackbird. This must be one of the most often played tunes ever yet, unlike say Summertime, to me it always sounds fresh and Zoë's version did it no harm at all.
Next up, a new face on the scene - Matt Müller - yet another talented young pianist! A delicate, probing, intriguing version of Georgia on my Mind. Hoagy's classic is another song that's been around the block a few times but, like Blackbird, in the right hands it can be more than 'just an old sweet song' and I'm pleased to report that, with Müller, it was in the right hands. Welcome to Jazzland NE1 Matt.
He followed up with Watermelon Man.
Alan Law returned to the Roland set up with Andy Champion at the bass and a rolling blues that segued into Night Train with just a hint of Splanky thrown into the mix.
Interval time which meant refuelling and catching up with Norman and BSH contributer JC.
That Gilby woman got the second set moving in tandem with husband Andy on bass and Paul Simon's Graceland followed by one from her back catalogue - West Coast Blues.
The house trio of Law, Pope & Marriott reconvened for There is no Greater Love - now there's a number that should be heard more often, particularly when it contains those big fat juicy block chords that Law lays down.
Müller gave us Billy Taylor's I Wish I Knew How it Felt to be Free (did Taylor write anything else?!), Zoë sang Wave and the trio wrapped it up with All the Things You Are - nice basswork from John Pope and some forceful drumming from Marriott combined to make this a fitting end to a grand evening that had ne'er a Noel in sight!
Back on January 18.
Lance.


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