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Bebop Spoken There

Trevor Mires: ''My mum is a Dean Martin fan: I'm not, so I would grab my skateboard and get out of the house whenever I heard "Everybody Loves Somebody, Sometime." ". (Jazzwise, April 2025).

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

17972 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 293 of them this year alone and, so far, 49 this month (April 22).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Fri 25: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT! Duo performance.
Fri 25: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 25: Andrea Vicari Trio @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. Vicari (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); Russ Morgan (drums).
Fri 25: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 25: Red Kites Jazz @ Land of Oak & Iron, Winlaton Mill. 6:00-9:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Fri 25: Struggle Buggy @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. Rhythm & blues.
Fri 25: Paul Skerritt Big Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £20.30., £18.00. All-star big band.
Fri 25: Andrea Vicari Trio @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Vicari (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); Russ Morgan (drums). An Opus 4 Jazz Club event.

Sat 26: Durham Alumni Big Band @ Number One Bar, Darlington. 12 noon. Free (donations).
Sat 26: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 26: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ Elvet Methodist Church, Durham. 7:30pm. Tickets: £12.00. + bf. Duo performance.
Sat 26: Neil Cowley Trio @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £22.50.
Sat 26: Pete Tanton & the Cuban Heels @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 27: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 27: Andrea Vicari Trio @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. Vicari (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Sun 27: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 27: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Xenopoulos, Edis, Paul Susans, Russ Morgan.
Sun 27: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 27: JustKing Jones @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £17.50. JustKing Jones (alto sax, soprano sax); Jordan Williams (piano); Jason Clotter (bass); Malcolm Charles (drums). Ace NYC outfit!
Sun 27: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 27: Swing Manouche @ Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7:30pm. £15.00. Tickets from 01665 711388.
Sun 27: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Xenopoulos, Edis, Ken Marley, Russ Morgan.

Mon 28: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 29: ???

Wed 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 30: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 30: International Jazz Day @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £16.00.; £14.00. adv.. Feat. Guido Spannocchi, John Pope & Steve Hanley + Take it to the Bridge participants + Open Mic Night participants.

MAY 2025

Thu 01: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Member’s Contribution.
Thu 01: Alabaster de Plume @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Thu 01: Living in Shadows + OUTRI @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Thu 01: The Shayo Experiment @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Shayo Oshodi & Liam Oliver.
Thu 01: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free.

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, November 25, 2015

LINE-UP REVEALED FOR GATESHEAD INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL 2016

(Press release)
Gateshead International Jazz Festival is back! As always there’s the best of the UK, European and International jazz scene, hotly-tipped emerging talent and exciting cross genre artists with a programme that truly brings something for everyone. The festival, the UK’s biggest held under one roof, runs from Friday 15 – Sunday 17 April 2016 at Sage Gateshead.
We’re proud to welcome back GRAMMY award-winning singer Gregory Porter after his sell out show last year to open this year’s festival.  Saturday night’s stellar double bill opens with leading British saxophonist and festival favourite Courtney Pine with fellow Mercury nominee and MOBO award winning pianist, Zoe Rahman who play the music from their acclaimed album Song (The Ballad Book).  In contrast, trumpeter, composer (renowned for his work on Spike Lee’s movies), and former member of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers Terence Blanchard brings his new quintet, the E-Collective, in a powerful fusion of funk, R&B and rock.
Headlining Sunday night is American soul maestro Charles Bradley. His well-documented against-all-odds rise saw him transcend a bleak life on the streets before being discovered by Daptone Records.  Following the release of his debut album No Time Dreaming, his performances have earned rave reviews. 
Other artists announced include award-winning singer-pianist Liane Carroll, described by Jamie Cullum as 'one of the greatest singers we have in this country'.   Saxophonist John Surman emerged as part of a gifted generation of British jazz artists in the 60s – proving the age gap is no barrier to creativity, he is joined in a brand new quartet by the Alexander Hawkins Trio, featuring three of the UK’s finest young jazz performers.
Jazz takes on the world
British-Asian clarinettist and composer, Arun Ghosh, has been captivating audiences and critics alike with his trademark IndoJazz sound and Ibrahim Maalouf, widely regarded as one of the finest trumpeters of his generation and a pioneering figure in the contemporary jazz world, fuses pop, electro, soul, hip-hop with the music of his Lebanese roots in the UK premiere of his super-charged new Impulse CD Red and Black Light.
Explore the heritage
Café Society Swing features stellar vocalists and some of the UK’s finest jazz musicians in a show that tells the true story of the legendary New York nightclub which promoted racial equality and great music.  Following sold-out gigs at Ronnie Scott’s and the Brecon Jazz Festival we’re pleased to welcome award-winning British jazz saxophonist Simon Spillett and his quartet to the festival in a tribute to a revered  British modern jazz star of the 50s and 60s, the late Tubby Hayes. The performance will follow a screening of the documentary film, Tubby Hayes: A Man in a Hurry, released earlier this year.
Fans of free jazz and improvisation will be treated to a solo performance from one of the most admired and influential saxophonists on the planet, Evan Parker.
Award-winning British punk-jazz-funk specialists, WorldService Project bring to the festival high-octane experimental but accessible music – think Frank Zappa, Loose Tubes and Stravinsky, played loud.
New Generations
As always the festival brings some of the newest and brightest lights on the international jazz scene to Gateshead. New York-based pianist and composer Kris Bowers is a leading voice in a vibrant new wave of genre bending jazz musicians. He collaborated with Jay-Z and Kanye West on the hit album Watch the Throne, scored movies, and is a past winner of the coveted Thelonious Monk International Jazz Piano Competition. Saxophonist Phil Meadows is fast emerging as one of the UK’s most creative young jazz musicians.  A former lead alto for the National Youth Jazz Orchestra, he performs in several ensembles and collaborations including the acclaimed Phil Meadows Group and Engines Orchestra. In a special matinee concert Phil and his band will be joined by our very own Royal Northern Sinfonia and youth ensemble Jambone performing a new arrangement for larger forces of his acclaimed suite Lifecycles
Europe makes music 
Airelle Besson’s sumptuous trumpet sound is catching the ears of listeners far beyond her native France.   Her delicately nuanced duo with Brazilian guitarist Nelson Veras – discovered by Pat Metheny – is a masterpiece of chamber jazz. Malija is a brand new all-star trio, featuring saxophonist Mark Lockheart (Polar Bear), pianist Liam Noble and bassist Jasper Høiby (Phronesis). Pianist and composer Michel Reis splits time between his Luxembourg home and the USA, where he has performed with Dave Holland, Joe Lovano and Esperanza Spalding.   He shares a double bill with John Law, who brings all his varied influences – from jazz through classical music and electronica – together in his new project, Congregation.
The festival, produced by Sage Gateshead and London-based music producers Serious, is now in its 12th year. Ros Rigby, Performance Programme Director said: “This year’s Festival reflects the diversity of jazz in the 21st century, including well established names alongside some very exciting younger voices – we hope audiences will take the opportunity to find their own paths across the programme and try some new things as well as enjoying their favourites.”
The ever popular free programme of jazz on the Concourse returns where on Saturday BBC Radio 3 will present a selection of national and international jazz artists recorded for a future edition of Jazz Line Up and on Sunday Jazz North East, celebrating their 50th anniversary year will present their choice of local and Northern artists.
Plus there will festival workshops, family fun, talks, late night club and much more still to be announced. Keep an eye on the website for further updates.
With all events taking place under one roof it couldn’t be easier to move between concerts and try something new. Bookers can take advantage of the Jazz Multi-Buy – the more concerts booked across the weekend the more money saved.
Tickets go on general sale Friday 27 November, 10am online at sagegateshead.com and 12noon at Ticket Office either in person or by calling 0191 443 4661. Sage Supporter pre-sale takes place on Thursday 26 November from 12noon at Ticket Office.

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