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

Wednesday, July 08, 2015

Jam Session @ The Jazz Café - July 7.

Alan Law (pno); Paul Grainger (bs); Paul Wight (dms); Bradley Johnston (gtr) + Paul Gowland (alt); Stu Finden (ten); Fiona Finden (sop/vcl); Dave Parker (bs); Tom Lapworth (gtr); Francesco Falconi (pno); Eric Stutt, Matt MacKellar, Rob Bates (dms); Joe Fowler (tmb/vcl); Minnie Fraser (vcl) etc.
(Review by Lance).
There is no Greater Love - if Alan Law never plays a better solo than this his living will have not been in vain - and this was but the opening number! The Lawman was on fire tonight - Cuban Fire I suspect!
Bradley Johnston, inspired by his visit to Le Festival Django Reinhardt de Samois (tee shirt to prove it), lit a few beacons himself. Unsurprisingly, Nuages being one of them!
Paul Gowland took centre stage for Confirmation - crisp brushwork from Wight - and Autumn in New York.
A contingent from the Jazz Coop dropped by and soon Dave Parker was on bass, a change of pianist (no name given - George, see comment,) and Minnie on mic. Song for my Father was the chosen opus but, sadly, the mic volume was too low too enable Min to be heard above the band and the conversation from the bottom end of the bar.
The Findens took over with Eric Stutt on drums and Fiona, unfortunately, also fought a losing battle with the sound system.
And so the night rolled on Falconi, Lapworth and an endless stream of drummers came and went. Joe Fowler finally conquered the mic with a blues blasting belter on Ramsey Lewis's The In Crowd. Both singing and sliding, the Bossman was on form.
Dawn Furness and Ian Forbes were standing in the wings but it was time for me to be one of the 'Out Crowd' so I missed the finale to another jolly jam at the JayCee.
Lance
PS: More photos.

1 comment :

Minnie said...

The nameless pianist is George Any who now plays with the Blue Jazz Sextet.

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