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

18656 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 520 of them this year alone and, so far this month (June 25) 72

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

June

Mon 29: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 30: Alan Law Trio @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free.
Tue 30: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

July

Wed 01: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 01: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 01: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 02: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 02: 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 02: De’Sean Jones & Blaque Dynamite feat. Urban Art Orchestra @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). De’Sean Jones (MD, tenor sax); Blaque Dynamite (Mike Mitchell, drums); Jamie Murray (drums) with UAO horns & strings.
Thu 02: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.
Thu 02: Howlin’ Mat @ Newcastle Arts centre. 7:30pm. Free. Acoustic

Fri 03: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 03: Paul Donnelly Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 03: Martin Taylor @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Taylor (solo guitar).

Sat 04: Spats Langham’s Hot Fingers @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 04: Michael Woods @ Cycle Hub, Quayside, Ouseburn. 1:30-2:30pm & 3:00-4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues guitar. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sat 04: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Take the ‘A’ Train to Summertime: From Melody to Masterclass. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 05: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 05: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Feat. guest TBC.
Sun 05: Michael Woods @ Cycle Hub, Quayside, Ouseburn. 1:30-2:30pm & 3:15-4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues guitar. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sun 05: Lydia Rae Quintet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Rae (vocals); Sam Lightwing (alto sax, tenor sax); Ben Lawrence (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Sun 05: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 05: Storytellers Street Band @ Ouseburn Woodland, Ouseburn. 5:00-6:00pm. Free. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sun 05: Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 05: Jambone @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:15-9:45pm. Free but ticketed.

Saturday, May 23, 2015

Snarky Puppy’s Bill Laurance Hits Sage Gateshead!

(Preview by Russell)
This Tuesday (26 May) Snarky Puppy’s killer rhythm section hits Sage Gateshead. Led by Londoner Bill Laurance, the trio will be on stage in Hall Two with the Netherlands’ world-famous Metropole Orchestra. Laurance (keyboards) is touring Swift, his new CD from the ‘Bill Laurance Project’ featuring Snarky Puppy’s co-founder Michael League (bass) and super-tight drummer Robert ‘Sput’ Searight.
Snarky Puppy’s sensational debut appearance in Hall Two at Sage Gateshead continues to be the talk of the town. The 2014 show attracted a sell-out crowd with level one a sea of dancing bodies. Fans on the upper levels hung over balconies in a state of delirium. The Brooklyn boys certainly put on a show! Grammy Award-winning Laurance swoops into the UK to play six dates and Sage Gateshead on Tuesday is one of them. The European leg of the tour has attracted full houses, so, to be certain of getting into Tuesday’s gig, a quick phone call to Sage Gateshead’s ticket office should be your number one priority – 0191 443 4661.
The Metropole Orchestra formed in the immediate post-WWII years in a public funding arrangement with Netherlands Public Broadcasting (somewhat analogous to the BBC’s Concert Orchestra) rapidly earning a reputation for first class ensemble performances. A now-legendary guest artiste roll of honour includes such luminaries as Ella, Dizzy, Stan Getz (they would have graced Sage Gateshead!) and today’s stars Laura Mvula, Gregory Porter and Chris Potter. Tour publicity sums up Laurance’s sound: a deep groove under flowing classical melodies. The Metropole outfit is able to adapt to any given project; the orchestra boasts international-class string players and brass and woodwind sections with jazz cats straining at the leash. The orchestra has had many distinguished MDs including a lengthy association with Vince Mendoza. The Snarky Puppy guys will brew up a storm and with a full-scale orchestra to play with (in the fun sense) the NYC groove merchants could well top last year’s triumphant Sage Gateshead gig.
Jazz fan? Classical buff? Cross-over appeal? Adventurous? Curious? It’s looking like a Hall Two sell-out (s/he who hesitates…)! Book now, contact Sage Gateshead to be sure of your ticket for the Bill Laurance Project (Tuesday 26 May) – 0191 443 4661.             
Russell.           
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