Bebop Spoken There

Melissa Aldana: ''Having to play a ballads album, which is something very revealing for a saxophone player, would help me to question some new aspects of how to go deeper into sound." (DownBeat May, 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

18573 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 437 of them this year alone and, so far this month (May 28) 91

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

May

Sun 31: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 31: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 31: Sinfonia of London: Tea Dance @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 3:00pm. Free. John Wilson ensemble performing on the concourse. Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, George & Ira Gershwin & more.
Sun 31: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 31: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £3.76.
Sun 31: Joe Steels @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. Free (donations direct to the musicians). Joe Steels & Friends.
Sun 31: Ben Haskins Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00.

June

Mon 01: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 01: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Mon 01: CW Stoneking @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Blues, Americana.

Tue 02: Mark Williams Trio @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00.
Tue 02: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law, Paul Grainger, John Hirst.
Tue 02: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 03: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 03: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 03: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 04: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 04: Postmodern Jukebox @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm.
Thu 04: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Thu 04: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 05: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 05: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 05-Thu 11: FILM: Köln 75 @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. Dir. Ido Fluk. Drama based on the true story of Keith Jarrett’s 1975 concert in Cologne. Screenings TBC.
Fri 05: Pete Tanton & Alan Law @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 05: House of the Black Gardenia: Summer Tyne Swing Festival @ Northumbria University Students’ Union, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £130.00; £95.00; £70.00; £50.00. Note: all day dance event (classes & socials). House of the Black Gardenia evening performance. Day 1/3.
Fri 05: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band + IKS Big Band @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £24.00. Big band double bill. IKS Big Band (Germany).
Fri 05: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £15.00

Sat 06: Struggle Buggy @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 3:00pm. Free. Blues.
Sat 06: Teresa Watson Band @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free. Blues.
Sat 06: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Dry Water Arts, Amble. 7:00pm (6:30pm doors). £15.00.
Sat 06: IKS Big Band: Summer Tyne Swing Festival @ Northumbria University Students’ Union, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £130.00; £95.00; £70.00; £50.00. Note: all day dance event (classes & socials). IKS Big Band evening performance. Day 2/3.
Sat 06: Tyne Valley Big Band @ Northumbrian Revival, West Benridge Farm, nr. Morpeth NE61 3RZ. 7:30-9:30pm. £21.47 (£2.77. child). 82nd D-Day anniversary event.
Sat 06: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 06: FILM: The Magic City: Birmingham According to Sun Ra @ The Star & Shadow Cinema, Newcastle. 9:30pm. £7.00., £5.00. Dir. Guillaume Maupin & Pablo Guarise.

Sunday, April 05, 2015

New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ St. Augustine's Church Darlington - April 4

(Review by Ray)
Time for our monthly Darlington Jazz trip, today's artistes the 12 strong version of the NCRO - sadly lacking the vocals of Caroline through illness, but with Emma Fisk ably providing the beauty to complement the guys all smartly attired in Dinner Jackets & bow ties.
Having heard the newly released CD "Singing in the Bathtub", which is an excellent buy, we were keen to sample the live version again - NCRO are always hugely entertaining, playing 1920's & 1930's hot dance & swing jazz in authentic arrangements which have your feet tapping away. I'm not aware of any other band that plays in this style, so we are privileged to have them based here in the North East & to be able to enjoy their talents several times a year. 
The inimitable Steve Andrews as ever led the band, his patter reminiscent of Leonard Sachs on the "Good Old Days" TV hit show that ran from 1953 to 1983, his wit greatly appreciated by an attentive packed room, the groans rising in unison at each corny joke or comment but the smiles revealing the pleasure he gave us all.
To the music ...Sweet Jenny Lee set the tone, with an excellent Reindeer Rag reminding us Christmas was but 265 days away ...with the onset of Easter Eggs in stockings it’s easy to get confused! A Duke Ellington number next - The Black & Tan Fantasy followed by the ballad Guilty then back up tempo with Rent Party Blues. Jim serenaded us on That's my Weakness Now, then East St Louis Toodle Oo and Get Out & Get Under the Moon led us to the final number of the first set with Nagasaki.
Second set began with a King Oliver number Too Bad before Jim donned Fez & gave us Palestrina to applause. The 1928 Chocolate Dandies Padukah featured Gavin Lee on clarinet, then Jim back on vocals in Everybody Loves my Girl. Another Duke Ellington number The Mooche saw the trumpet players excel, with I'd Rather be Blue Thinking of You  taking us to the raffle & interval two.
An Easter Egg prize put a smile on my good lady’s lips, so all was well as a Jimmy Noone number Chicago Rhythm kicked on into King Oliver's 1923 hit Chatanooga Stomp. We felt a little blue with Blue Minor then I'm Dancing with Tears in my Eyes, then Emma & Keith combined with a melodic duo as Joe Venutti & Eddie Lang with Sunshine before Business in F and I'll See you in my Dreams gave way to the final number of Limehouse Blues.
All in all another fine afternoon at Darlington, & another packed house illustrated the growing recognition of the excellent Jazz they provide monthly.
Next up Sat 2 May is Jeff Barnhart & John Hallam with Keith Stephen & Bruce Rollo ....that should be another treat !
Ray
Graham Hardy, Alistair Lord (tpts); Neville Hartley (tmb); Jim McBriarty, Alan Marshall, Gavin Lee (reeds), Steve Andrews (compere/ ten  sax); Emma Fisk (vln); Colin Haikney (pno); Keith Stephens (bjo/gtr); Phil Rutherford (sousa); Steve Doyle (dms).  
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