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Bebop Spoken There

Francis Tulip: ''Music speaks louder than words''. (Jazzwise, June 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

17,550 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 514 of them this year alone and, so far, 92 this month (June 28).

From This Moment On ...

JULY 2025

Wed 09: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 09: Jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: The Hopper-Watson Quintet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 8:00pm (7:30pm doors). £10.00. + £1.00. bf.
Wed 09: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 10: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Soloists, Orchestras & Hot Fives.
Thu 10: Side Café Orkestar @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 11: Paul Skerritt Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church, Cockton Hill Road, Bishop Auckland. 1:00pm. £8.00. A Bishop Auckland Jazz promotion. New venue (second Friday in the month)!
Fri 11: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 11: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Beehive, Earsdon NE25 0SZ. 5:00-7:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: Fiona Finden Jazz Express @ Flash House Brewery, North Shields NE30 1DS. 8:00pm. Free.

Sat 12: Jazz Stage @ Mouth of the Tyne Festival. From 12 noon. Free. Vieux Carré Jazzmen (12 noon); Rendezvous Jazz (1:00pm); Mississippi Dreamboats (2:00pm); Classic Swing (3:00pm); Abbie Finn Trio (4:00pm). Stage adjacent to Tynemouth Priory.
Sat 12: Making Music Seminar: Latin American Music v. Music of Latin America @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 1:00pm. £15.00. (£5.00. online). Jason Holcomb, Alix Shepherd & Carlos Luis Rivera.
Sat 12: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 12: Jude Murphy & Dan Stanley @ Lovaine Community Garden, North Shields. 7:00pm (doors 6:40pm). £6.00. Limited places, booking essential (via the Community Garden website). BYOF&D.
Sat 12: Hot Club du Nord @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. Hall Two.
Sat 12: Sleep Suppressor @ Repas 7 by Night, Berwick. 8:00pm.
Sat 12: Anth Purdy @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle.8:00pm. Free. ‘Swing Jazz Guitar’. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 13: Jazz Stage @ Mouth of the Tyne Festival. From 11:00am. Free. Trilogy of Four (11:00am); East Coast Jazzmen (12:10pm); Delta Prophets Trio (1:20pm); House of the Black Gardenia (2:30pm); Mouth of the Tyne All Stars (3:40pm). Stage adjacent to Tynemouth Priory.
Sun 13: Giles Strong Quartet @ The Sele, Hexham. 12 noon. Free. ‘The Bandstand Sessions’.
Sun 13: Julie Dexter @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:30pm (doors). £20.00. ‘The Cluny Matinee Jazz Club’.
Sun 13: ’58 Jazz Collective, Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 13: Tyne Valley Big Band @ Bishop Auckland Town Hall. 2:00pm. Tea Dance. SOLD OUT! A Durham Brass Festival event.
Sun 13: Ferg Kilsby @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Kilsby (trumpet, flugelhorn); Luis Verde (alto sax); Ben Lawrence (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); John Hirst (drums).
Sun 13: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 13: Sloth Racket @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. JNE.

Mon 14: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club (1:00pm). Free.
Mon 14: Brass Bash @ Hardwick Park, Co. Durham. 6:00-8:00pm. Free. Various bands. A Durham Brass Festival event.
Mon 14: Brass Bash @ The Story, Mount Oswald, Co. Durham. 6:00-8:00pm. Free. Various bands. A Durham Brass Festival event.

Tue 15: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Victoria & Albert Inn, Seaton Sluice. Tel: 0191 237 3697. 12:30pm. ‘July Jazz Barbecue’. Tickets: £15.00.
Tue 15: Brass Bash @ Hackworth Park, Shildon, Co. Durham. 6:00-9:00pm. Free. Various bands. A Durham Brass Festival event.
Tue 15: Brass Bash @ The Witham, Barnard Castle, Co. Durham. 6:00-8:00pm. Free. Various bands. A Durham Brass Festival event.
Tue 15: Julian Lage Trio @ 1856 Exchange, North Shields. 7:30pm . Lage (guitar); Jorge Roeder (double bass); Joey Barron (drums).
Tue 15: Jools Holland’s Rhythm & Blues Orchestra @ The Hippodrome, Darlington. 7:30pm.
Tue 15: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, Bailey Rudd.

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, April 19, 2015

Get on the Mainline to Darlington Jazz Festival

(Preview by Russell).
The fourth annual Darlington Jazz Festival returns this week (Thursday 23-Sunday 26 April) with a new look and a fantastic line-up! The festival launches the borough-wide Darlington Arts Festival running throughout May. Jazz fans will be spoilt for choice at various venues across the town centre. Concerts, jam sessions, street performances – it makes for a busy, memorable long weekend.
The Jazz Festival kicks-off with a workshop on Thursday evening at Crown Street Art Gallery and Library. Star trumpeter and jazz educator Matt Roberts returns to his home town to lead the event beginning at six o’clock. All abilities are encouraged to attend (Roberts will engage with everyone, rested assured) and at £6.00. it may well be the best six quid you’ll ever spend. Places are limited (Roberts’ popularity guarantees a large uptake), to check availability visit: www.darlingtonjazzfestival@live.com.
The Matt Roberts’ Sextet will set the performance standard in a Jazz After Dark concert  on Friday night at the Voodoo Café on Skinnergate (opposite Binns’ department store). Roberts will be playing the music of Fats Navarro. He is bringing in a superb band with Matt Anderson on tenor. Eagerly anticipated, this could be the gig that gets somewhere near capturing the levels of excitement generated by the Cookers’ triumphant appearance at last week’s Gateshead International Jazz Festival. On stage at 9:00pm (doors 8:30pm), get there early. Admission on the door is £7.00. Start queuing now!
Saturday (25th) offers something for everyone. Darlington Jazz Festival presents Coffee House Jazz at Clervaux Bakery. Early birds can get along to Darlington’s artisan bakery on Coniscliffe Road to hear jazz throughout the day and partake of a menu offering the most tempting of culinary delights. Jazz Comes to the Quakerhouse begins at one o’clock in the Camra-rated public house in Mechanics’ Yard. Not only does jazz come to the pub for the festival, it is to be one of the principal new homes of Darlington Jazz Club. This festival offering (1:00pm, £5.00.) includes the superb pianist Dean Stockdale, local lad Will Howard blowing up a storm and the fabulous Zoe Gilby accompanied by first call guitarist Mark Williams. In the Dolphin Centre’s Central Hall at seven o’clock there is a set-piece occasion. The award-winning Durham Alumni Big Band will be in concert with two award-winning soloists of international standing. Multi instrumentalist Al Wood and Bruce Adams will join the band in an evening of big band swing. Billy May, Basie and others will be in the pad. Listen out for trumpeter Tom Hill playing Memories of You alongside Adams. The Durham County Youth Big Band will feature in a support set. The young musicians on the stand will, no doubt, graduate to the senior ranks. A grand night is in store. Tickets (£10.00.) are available from the Dolphin Centre on Bull Wynd. A late night in Darlington isn’t a bad idea – head from the Dolphin Centre to the Quakerhouse (two minutes’ walk) for a Late Night Jam starting at ten thirty. Admission is free although donations would be appreciated.
Sunday (26th), the final day of the Darlington Jazz Festival. An Afternoon of Big Bands and Jazz Combos at St Augustine’s Parish Centre (Larchfield Street) features two big bands and a compact touring trio. The mighty Darlington Big Band will hold court and the juniors - Darlington Little Big Band - will have their turn in the spotlight. By way of contrast, bassist/vocalist Nicola Farnon performs with regular collaborators Piero Tucci (keyboards, saxophones and accordion) and drummer Phil Johnson. Starting at 2:00pm, admission is £6.00. The closing event of this year’s Darlington Jazz Festival will be at the same venue on Larchfield Street beginning at half past five. Presented by Darlington Jazz Club, the Simon Read Octet will guarantee a fantastic finale. Bassist Read will have Sam Gardner (drums) alongside, the piano stool will be occupied by the brilliant Jamil Sheriff and rising star trumpeter Laura Jurd should draw the crowds. Admission £6.00. Why not take advantage of a £10.00. ticket deal for both concerts at St Augustine’s?
For details of the 2015 Darlington Jazz Festival: darlingtonjazzfestival@live.com       
Russell.

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