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Bebop Spoken There

George Porter Jr.: ''To me, syncopation is like jazz. It wasn't meant for the masses. It was meant just for a hip few". (DownBeat, May 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

18043 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 364 of them this year alone and, so far, 42 this month (May 15).

From This Moment On ...

MAY 2025

Sat 17: Teresa Watson Band @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Blues.
Sat 17: The Society Quartet @ Hilton Garden Inn, Sunderland. 6:00pm. Tel: 0191 500 9494. £26.00 (inc. two course meal). Line-up: Jason Holcomb, Hannah Taylor, Alix Shepherd & Abbie Finn.
Sat 17: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 17: Archie Brown & the Young Bucks @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Rhythm & blues, Americana etc.
Sat 17: Bellavana @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30-10:00pm. Free. A Late Shows event.
Sat 17: Rockin’ Turner Brothers @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Rockabilly, Western swing etc.
Sat 17: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Newcastle City Library. 9:00-10:00pm. Free. A 'Late Shows' event.

Sun 18: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 12 noon-2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 18: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 18: Ruth Lambert & Giles Strong @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 18: Steve Summers Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 19: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 19: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 20: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, Bailey Rudd.
Tue 20: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Pleased to Meet You, Bridge St., Morpeth NE61 1ND. 8:00pm.

Wed 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 21: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public). b Wed 21: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 22: Nuevo Castillo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £5.00.
Thu 22: Anna Reay & Deon Krishnan @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:30-9:15pm. Free.
Thu 22: Pedal Point Trio @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 23: Dean Stockdale Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. ‘Celebrating Oscar’.
Fri 23: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 23: Anna Reay & Deon Krishnan @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: Joe Steels Group @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £10.00. + £1.55. bf. A Northumberland Jazz Festival fringe event.
Fri 23: Spilt Milk @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 23: Gaz Hughes Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm.
Fri 23: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 8:00pm. £19.00.; £17.00. ‘Time After Time’.

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

Saturday, March 14, 2015

TAKE THE GREEN TRAIN: A SEMINAR ON SUSTAINABILITY IN MUSIC

(Press Release)
One of the world’s major concert halls and a Europe-wide network of over 100 members from 30 countries are using the context of the 2015 Gateshead International Jazz Festival to explore environmental issues that concern both the music and cultural industries and how the sector can respond as part of a global movement stepping up the urgency around addressing climate change. On Friday April 10, to launch this year’s Gateshead International Jazz Festival, Sage Gateshead and Europe Jazz Network will be presenting a fascinating seminar examining how jazz and music promoters, festivals and venues across Europe can develop their green policies and transform their practices to meet both the challenges and opportunities of a rapidly changing environment.
This free event is part of Europe Jazz Network’s 3-year programme of activities funded by the European Union’s Creative Europe programme, and has been organised in association with one of the world’s leading organisations looking at issues around environmental sustainability for the cultural sector, Julie’s Bicycle.
This seminar will look at how the different parts of the jazz ecosystem from artists to venues to promoters can collaborate to create a greener sector, aiming to both inspire ambition and provide practical insight. The day will include case studies from jazz promoters and festivals in the UK and Europe as well as speakers from other areas of music, including Laura Pando, Sustainability Coordinator at Festival Republic, who run Leeds, Reading, Latitude and other major festivals, and also Tony Wadsworth, chair of Julie’s Bicycle and until recently Chair of the BPI (British Phonographic Industry), which represents the recording industry in the UK.
Sage Gateshead staff will give a presentation on how the venue has itself addressed these issues since its opening ten years ago, working with the Creative Industry Green tools developed by Julie’s Bicycle, and also how they will be addressing their impacts during Gateshead International Jazz Festival itself in a number of practical ways, including trying to reduce reliance on bottled water, use of locally sourced food, and more. Alison Tickell, CEO of Julie’s Bicycle will also talk about the charity’s work with the cultural and creative industries across the UK and internationally. Further guest speakers are to be announced.
Take The Green Train: A seminar on sustainability in music presented by the Europe Jazz Network and Julie’s Bicycle takes place on Friday 10th April, 11am-5pm at Sage Gateshead. Tickets are free but should be booked in advance either by calling 0191 443 4661, online at sagegateshead.com or in person from Sage Gateshead’s Ticket Office.
A schedule for the day follows below.
SCHEDULE Friday 10 April 2015, 11am-5pm, Northern Rock Foundation Hall, Sage Gateshead
11:00 Welcome and Introduction to the Project - Ros Rigby, Sage Gateshead 11.10 Overview of the Day - Alison Tickell, Julie's Bicycle
11.15 Participant Introductions
11.25 The Big Picture - Alison Tickell, Julie's Bicycle Outline of recent climate science and the creative and cultural response to date: why are we here?
11.40 The Music Industry Response -Tony Wadsworth, Chair Julie’s Bicycle, and of the BPI Overview of existing music industry initiatives and action from other genres and sector areas: what does this movement look like?
11.55 What's happening where you are? Discussion and illustrations from jazz festivals/promoters from the UK and beyond
12.30 Raising the Bar - Leadership in Action Case study presentations from: • Laura Pando, Sustainability Coordinator, Festival Republic • Green Team, Sage Gateshead Followed by discussion. Lunch (provided):
13:00-13:30 13.30 Green Touring Masterclass (Julie’s Bicycle, guest speaker TBC) Workshop led by Julie's Bicycle on the process of planning and delivering sustainable touring practices, and the tools, resources and guidance available. Guest speaker TBC
15.00 - Break
15.15 Trend-spotting (Julie’s Bicycle, guest speaker TBC) How new models born from the sharing economy and new digital platforms are reshaping touring models and democratising the touring and music production process by turning fans into co-producers and co-investors in touring and performance – and how these changes are translated and interpreted in the context of environmental sustainability. Guest speaker TBC
16.00 The Green Train Pledge What will we commit to doing? Where do we want to be in five years, both individually and as a network? How will we get there?

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