Bebop Spoken There

Jools Holland (on his 2026 spring/summer tour): ''With the mighty [R&B] Orchestra, our wonderful boogie woogie singers, and the brilliant Joe Webb opening the shows [including Darlington Hippodrome, June 19], we're in for some very special evenings of music.'' The Northern Echo February 5, 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

18263 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 117 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Feb. 6), 17

From This Moment On ...

February

Sat 07: The Big Easy @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 07: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30-3:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 07: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. St Thomas & Bésame Mucho. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 07: Side Cafe Oᴙkestar @ Café Under the Spire, Gateshead. 6:30pm. Table reservations: 0191 477 3970.
Sat 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 08: Swing Tyne @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12 noon (doors). Donations. Swing dance taster class (12:30pm) + Hot Club de Heaton (live performance). Non dancers welcome.
Sun 08: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 09: Mark Williams Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 09: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 10: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 11: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington.. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 11: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 12: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 13: Noel Dennis Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm . £9.00. Dennis (trumpet, flugelhorn); Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 13: Joe Steels @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 13: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm.
Fri 13: Tom Remon & John Moriarty @ The Ship Isis, Silksworth Row, Sunderland SR1 3QJ. 7:00pm. £10.00 + £1.00 bf.

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

Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Be a Jazz Volunteer (in Birmingham)

(Press release)
Calling all music fans – fancy being a volunteer for one of the world’s largest jazz fests right here on your doorstep?
The organisers of the annual Birmingham Jazz and Blues Festival are on the lookout for hands-on volunteers to help distribute programmes for next month’s musical extravaganza that will see 177 live performances in 78 venues – most of them for free.
Now in its 31st year, the 10-day event, which runs from Friday, July 3 to Sunday, July 12, attracts some of the biggest names in the jazz world with musicians from Australia, Czech Republic, France, Luxembourg, Lithuania, Sweden and the USA alongside top UK talent.
Director Jim Simpson said: “Volunteers play a big role in the festival line-up and we are always on the lookout for spare pairs of hands to helps us distribute the programme.
“This year promises to be one of our most exciting festivals to date with a daily average of 36 hours of free jazz and blues across the whole of the 10 days and we’d like to spread that message as wide as possible.
“If anyone would like to volunteer please get in touch with the festival team it’s a fantastic event that brings together jazz superstars from across the globe and we just want everyone to come along and join the fun.”
International acts making their UK debuts include Stockholm Stompers (Sweden), Hot Jazz Alliance (USA/Australia), The Schwings featuring Laura Budreckyte (Lithuania) and Sarah Lenka (France), while domestic newcomers the much-acclaimed Harpers Ferry, Malaya Blue, Blues Engine and emerging songstress Ella Squirrell join the festival line-up. Returning Euro-favourites include Florence Joelle (France), Pepper & The Jellies (Italy) and Saxitude (Luxembourg).
For full programme details visit www.birminghamjazzfestival.com
The jam-packed programme also includes:
• Music in Surprising Places will take in New Street and Snow Hill stations, Selfridges, Gracechurch Centre, a canal boat, libraries and restaurants
• A pop-up dance hall, at Regency Wharf, off Broad Street and The Dark Horse, Moseley
• Free music workshops for youngsters, with eight instrument sessions at Birmingham Music School ranging from Beginner Guitar to An Interactive History of Hip Hop
• A record fair, talks and photographic exhibitions, plus 19 film screenings, including the Midlands premiere of the Amy Winehouse documentary, Amy, at the Electric Cinema.
• Performances by the Chinese Jitterbug Squad at various venues throughout the festival
• Drum masterclass with Peter York, founder member of the Spencer Davis Group
• Three-day Holiday in Birmingham tribute marking the centenary of blues legend Billie Holiday.
Further information available from Festival Director Jim Simpson:
Birmingham Jazz and Blues Festival, Po Box 944, Birmingham, B16 8UT
Tel: 
0121 454 7020 - www.bigbearmusic.com - admin@bigbearmusic.com

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