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.

Monday, June 01, 2015

LUME on Tour @ Bridge Hotel, Newcastle.Quadraceratops + Entropi – May 31.

(Review by Steve H/Photos courtesy of Ken Drew).
The only thing more blinding than the sun streaming through the Bridge’s huge bay window were the performances by these two outstanding bands.
LUME is a weekly music night set up by up by Kath Roberts and Dee Byrne to encourage musicians to try out original and improvised material. Kath’s and Dee’s bands are currently embarking on a 7 gig ‘LUME on Tour’ and on Sunday night it was the turn of the Bridge to host this event.
First up was Quadraceratops whose album I reviewed very favourably at the turn of the year (Quadraceratops). Indeed in my review I suggested that they would be a great band to see live and I was not disappointed. The septet named after a mythical four horned dinosaur played selections from the aforementioned eponymous album, all compositions being penned by bandleader Roberts. Hearing a four horned dinosaur in a venue the size of The Bridge is certainly invigorating and captivating and the harmonies produced a joy. Despite these horns of plenty the rhythm section really held their own. O’Brien on keyboards and electronics was particularly inventive and appeared just as central to the performance as the entire horn section. The whole set had a great and uplifting feel with both compositions and arrangements being of a very high quality. A special mention should could go to trumpet player Andre Canniere who although a member of Entropi was deputising to great effect for regular band member Henry Spencer.
At the conclusion of the first set, the sun had followed suit so I was able to remove my sunglasses and ponder with other members of the enthralled audience how the second band was going to be able keep the momentum going. The answer wasn’t long in coming as Entropi led by alto sax player Byrne cooked up a storm. Again the songs played were originals from their forthcoming album New Era (launched June 1st). A tapestry of improvisation was unfurled with each member of the quintet contributing solos embedded within the overall ensemble’s performance. It was a refreshing and thoroughly exhilarating exhibition of modern improvised music.
Steve H.
Quadraceratops: Cath Roberts (alto sax); Tom Ward (tenor sax); Magnus Dearness (trombone); Andre Canniere (trumpet); Dave O’Brien (keyboards); Jason Simpson (bass); Olly Blackman (drums).
Entropi: Dee Byrne (alto sax); Andre Canniere (trumpet); Rebecca Nash (keyboards); Olie Brice (bass); Matt Fisher (drums)
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