Bebop Spoken There

Donovan Haffner ('Best Newcomer' 2025 Parliamentary Jazz Awards): ''I got into jazz the first time I picked up a saxophone!" - Jazzwise Dec 25/Jan 26

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

18146 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 24 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 7), 24

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Fri 09: The House Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00.
Fri 09: Nauta @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Trio: Jacob Egglestone, Jamie Watkins, Bailey Rudd.
Fri 09: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Warren James & the Lonesome Travellers @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £15.00.
Fri 09: The Blue Kings @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £10.00. (£8.00. adv.). All-star band.

Sat 10: Mark Toomey Quintet @ St Peter’s Church, Stockton-on-Tees. 7:30pm. £12.00. (inc. pie & peas). Tickets from: 07749 255038.

Sun 11: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 12: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 12: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 13: Milne Glendinning Band @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00. Coquetdale Jazz.
Tue 13: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 14: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 14: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 15: Mark Toomey Quartet @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. Quartet + guest Paul Donnelly (guitar).

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

Wednesday, June 03, 2015

Jazz Café Jam - June 2.

(Review by Lance)
The listing below is from memory - In my rush to catch the 22:57 Metro and to savour the last few bars of whatever it was they were blowing, I left my notepad behind me so I'm busking this one!
However, like all jams at "The Caff", it was memorable enough for me to be able to paint the scene despite, at times, the stage area being more populated than the Central Station. Instruments at the ready, they awaited the call.
The house quartet  gave a Wave  before we were off to The Sunny Side of the Street. Ray Johnson, having drove both trumpet and flugel down from Rothbury leaped in - somewhat prematurely! However, afterwards he produced a couple of interesting charts that had everyone on their metal, none more so than Bradley Johnston who was dealt a Bb part!
Brown Junior took over on piano, Brown Senior spelled Grainger on bass, the not yet departed for Japan Yuya, sat in on drums on drums and Tom Lapworth moved in on guitar for A Night in Tunisia.
More comings and goings.
Falconi stepped up to the keyboard.  When the Signor from Sienna (or wherever!) goes into play mode not only do you get the jazz but you get all the emotions too. This is a soul in torment searching for freedom his body language, the facial expressions are those of a man on a mission - is it the lost chord, the holy grail or the secrets of the universe? Whatever, when he finds it his face erupts into a smile of satisfaction.
And so the drama unfolded - drummers and guitarists galore! Saxophones to the fore, Musos from out of the area, even one from Bulgaria, Japan and Italy, Jesmond and Whitley it all happened here tonight!
Lance.
Jazz Café photos.
Peter Gilligan (pno); Paul Grainger (bs); Bradley Johnston (gtr); Paul Wight (dms) + Ray Johnson (tpt); Joel Brown (pno); 'Papa' Brown (bs); Tom Lapworth (gtr)' Yuya Honami (dms); Francesco Falconi (pno); Rob Bates (dms); Thanos (gtr); Dan Foote (dms); Jordan Alfonso (alt); Paul Gowland (alt); Nick Gould (ten); Dimi (dms); Ian Forbes (dms); John Pope (bs) - there may have been others, apologies if I've missed you.

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