Bebop Spoken There

Donovan Haffner ('Best Newcomer' 2025 Parliamentary Jazz Awards): ''I got into jazz the first time I picked up a saxophone!" - Jazzwise Dec 25/Jan 26

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

18146 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 24 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 7), 24

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Sat 10: Mark Toomey Quintet @ St Peter’s Church, Stockton-on-Tees. 7:30pm. £12.00. (inc. pie & peas). Tickets from: 07749 255038.

Sun 11: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 12: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 12: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 13: Milne Glendinning Band @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00. Coquetdale Jazz.
Tue 13: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 14: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
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.

Thu 15: Mark Toomey Quartet @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. Quartet + guest Paul Donnelly (guitar).

Fri 16: Giles Strong Quartet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 16: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 16: Darlington Big Band @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 16: Leeds City Stompers @ Billy Bootleggers, Newcastle. 9:00pm. 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

Sunday, February 08, 2015

Paul Skerritt Band @ Ashington Jazz Club - February 4

Paul Skerritt (vcl); James Harrison (keys); Anthony Ord (bs gtr); Tom Chapman (dms).
(Review by Peter Sanderson)
The AJC may not be Caesar's Palace nor the Sands Hotel, Las Vegas but a full house turned out for the return of the Paul Skerritt Band. These young musicians gave the members an explosive, energetic and exciting rendition of the music we love to hear. Paul expressed the lyrics with a mix of twenty one classic songs nicely blended with those from  more recent times. 
The vibrancy of the melodies supported so effectively by the swinging trio gave an embracing performance of calculated interplay of instruments while the energy and creativity of the improvisations displayed respect for the composers of the music. The attraction of this band  is the energetic youthfulness and intuitive understanding of this art form. If the future of this quality music is to continue then it is satisfying to know that it is in the safe joyful hands of these capable young men.
PROGRAMME-Come Fly With Me; I'm Beginning to See the Light; Have You Met Miss Jones?; It Don't Mean a Thing, Cheek to Cheek, Love, You're the One For Me, Black and Gold,  The Gentleman/Lady is a Tramp, King of the Swingers, Stepping Out With my Baby, Ain't  No Sunshine, Goody  Goody, Feeling Good; Almost Like Being in Love, Sway; Bring me Down; Crazy Little Thing Called LLove, American Girl, Play That Funky Music White Boy..
NEXT MEETING---Wednesday , 4th March 2015 in the Elephant at 8.00 p.m.            
Lindsay Hannon Plus  with once again James Harrison on Keys.  
See you there, 
Peter S.

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